0.13.20^ 


18S6 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 


^i^  OF  ?mi 

OCT  13  1£ 


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v/ 


CUNNINGHAM  GEIKIE,  D.D., 

AUTHOR    or    "THE  LIFE  AND  WORDS  OP  CHRIST  ;"    "HOITRS  WITH  THE  BIBLB;' 
ETC.,  ETC. 


WITH    SEVENTY-ONE    ILLUSTRATIONS, 
CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLES,   AND    AN    INDEX. 


JC^iD  gork: 

JAMES   POTT   &   CO., 

AsTOR  Place. 

1886. 


^^cl3 


I  INTENDED   THIS   VOLUME   TO   HAVE    BEEN 
TO   MY   DARLING   DAUGHTER, 

JEANIE, 

BUT   AS   IT   HAS   PROVED   THAT   SHE   WAS    RIGHT, 

IN   SADLY   TELLING   ME    SHE    WOULD   NEVER    LIVE   TO    SEE   IT, 

I   NOW,    WITH    INFINITE    SORROW, 

DEDICATE   IT 

TO  HER  MEMORY, 


Forgive,  blest  shade,  the  tributary  tear, 

That  mourns  thy  exit  from  a  world  Hke  this ; . 

Forgive  the  wish  that  would  have  kept  thee  here, 
And  stayed  thy  entrance  to  a  world  of  bliss  I 


PEEFAOE. 


THIS  "book  may  be  regarded  as  a  condensed  epitome 
of  some  prominent  portions  of  the  six  volumes  of 
"  Hours  with  the  Bible,"  which  refer  to  Old  Testament 
history.  Those  who  wish  to  study  the  whole  course  of 
God's  ways  with  His  ancient  people  more  fully  will 
naturally  turn  to  the  larger  work.  At  the  same  time 
it  is  hoped  that  this  volume,  which  is  complete  in  it- 
self, will  be  acceptable  to  many  who  already  have  the 
*'  Hours,"  no  less  than  to  others  who  are  contented  with 
a  glance  at  the  leading  points  and  characters  of  the 
Bible  story  in  a  single  volume. 

The  numerous  illustrations,  moreover,  will,  it  is 
hoped,  make  it  additionally  interesting  to  old  and 
young.  Nor  can  I  put  aside  the  pleasant  thought  that 
it  may  be  found  suited  for  an  attractive  Reading  Book 
of  Scripture  History  in  the  senior  classes  of  our  higher 
educational  institutions. 

I  may  add  that  this  book  is  not  a  mere  abstract  of 
the  "Hours  with  the  Bible,"  but  is  an  entirely  inde- 
pendent composition. 

January,  1885. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGB 

Noah       ..•••••••••,  1 

Abraham 12 

Isaac         .       • 23 

ISHMAEL •••32 

Jacob 40 

Leah  and  Eachel •        •  47 

Esau ••••••.  55 

JUDAH       .         •         •        • 61 

Joseph 68 

Pharaoh 78 

Pharaoh's  Daughter       .        •        •        • 86 

Moses 93 

Aaron ,        .  102 

Balaam Ill 

Miriam -        •        •        •        •  119 

Joshua 126 

Jael •        .        .  184 

Deborah 141 

Gideon 150 

Jephthah •        •        •        •        .  159 

Samson  and  Delilah        •        • 167 

EuTH 176 

Eli 185 

Samuel    ...» 193 

Saul 203 

David  the  Shcphebd 212 

is 


X  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Goliath   .•••••••••••  221 

David  the  Psalmist        •••••••••  228 

Absalom  ..«•••••••'••  237 

JoAB 244 

Ahithophel ,   •   .    .  252 

Solomon 260 

The  Queen  of  Sheba 268 

Behoboam 276 

Jehoshaphat 284 

Athaliah          •••••• 295 

Ahab 305 

Jezebel  •••• 31^ 

Elijah 323 

Elisha 331 

Naaman  the  Syrian 341 

Jehu 350 

Jonah 360 

Jeroboam  II 366 

Isaiah       .»,•.•••••••  376 

Josiah 387 

Jehoiakim 397 

Job 406 

Job's  Friends "^16 

Jeremiah "^27 

Ezekiel 437 

Daniel 448 

Esther •...  456 

Nehemiah • 467 

Oheonological  Tables 477 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FAGB 

Ancient  Altabs ,       .        ,  11 

Babylonian  Brick,  with  Inscription      •        .        .        ,        ,        ,  15 

Egyptian  Physicians  and  Patients 22 

Arab  Sheies ••.24 

Eastern  Woman  in  Full  Dress     .        .  ' 31 

Counting  the  Slain  by  their  Cut-off  Hands       .        •        •        •  39 

Egyptian  Bed 54 

Mourners  at  a  Grave 60 

Beards  of  various  Nations    •        • 67 

Egyptian  Bakers  and  Cooks 70 

Investiture  of  an  Egyptian  Dignitary  with  high  Office       ,        .  72 

Egyptian  Priestess 75 

Embalming  of  the  Dead  {WilJcinson)       ......  76 

Bameses  II.  (Lepsius) 81 

Worshipper  op  the  Sun  {Birch)    ...•..•  85 

A  Lady  with  her  Attendants  in  the  Bath.        •        •        .        .  92 

Ancient  Egyptian  Garden 101 

Menephtah 103 

Ancient  Egyptian  Brickmaking,  under  Taskmasters  .  •  .  104 
The  *'Dugong,"  from  which  the  so-called  "Badger  Skin"  was 

obtained  for  the  covering  of  the  Tabernacle     .        .        .  110 

The  Top  of  Sinai  {Laborde) •        •        .  125 

Punic  Idol  with  a  Votive  Tablet 154 

Treading  the  Wine-Press  ;  and  also  the  Wine  Cellar,  with 

the  Wine  in  Jars 158 

Sabdinian-Phenician  Idol  with  Neo-Phenician  Inscription  .        .  160 

Treading  Enemies  under  Foot 166 

Harvest  Scene •        •        .        .  181 

Threshing  Machine  op  Modern  Egypt 183 

Eastern  Harrow 184 

Assyrian  Baalte  {Layard) 196 

An  Egyptian  Worshipping  Isis 202 

Costumes  of  Moslem  Peasantry,  near  Shecuem  {Captain  Conder).  211 

zi 


Xll  ILLUSTEATIONS. 

FAGS 

Case  for  a  Book  Eoll    .        ........  236 

Book  Bolls  and  Wkiting  Apparatus     ...,,.  236 

Ancient  Impalement  or  *•  Hanging  up  "        •        •        ,        •        ,  251 

Solomon's  Pools 267 

Apes,  from  an  Assyrian  Tablet 274 

Egyptian  Standards  {Wilkinso7i) ,  287 

The  Ark  of  the  Covenant  and  the  Mercy  Seat         ,        ,        .  290 

Catapult  for  Throwing  Stones 291 

An  Egyptlln  Scribe  {IVilkinson) 294 

The  High  Priest  in  his  Official  Bobes 300 

The  Brazen  Altar  of  Burnt  Offering 302 

The  Great  Cherubim  in  the  Holy  of  Holies     ....  303 
Oriental  Street,  with  Jews   Praying   at   the    Appearance   of 

the  New  Moon 330 

Modern  Egyptian  Plough  {UEgypt,  Etat  Moderne)       .         .        .  332 

The  Syrian  Plough  of  the  Present  Day 333 

Baal  "Worship,  from  a  Babylonian  Cylinder        ....  340 

Assyrians  Forcing  the  passage  of  a  Kiver  (KouyunjiJc)       .        .  343 

Portion  of  a  Slab  from  Nineveh,  showing  an  Assyrian  Chariot  .  354 

Assyrian  Kings 358 

Assyrian  Genii  Kneeling  before  the  Tree  of  Life  .        ,        .  365 

Assyrian  Standard  with  the  Form  of  Assur       ....  369 

The  Cotton  Plant 370 

Ploughing  and  Sowing  (Wilkinson) 372 

The  Seed  trampled  into  a  Field  by  Goats  (Wilkinson)      .        .  372 

Ploughing  and  Breaking  the  Clods 373 

Gathering  of  Millet  and  Stripping  the  Ears    ....  373 

A  Black  and  White  Slave  Attending  an  Egyptian  Lady    .        .  374 

Egyptian  Noble  Fishing  in  his  Pond 375 

ASSURBANIPAL,   THE   GRANDSON   OF    SeNNACHERIB,    BANQUETING  WITH 

HIS  Wife 380 

Triumphal  Procession  of  the  Assyrian  King  (Nimrud)       •        .  382 

Psammetichus 391 

Egyptians  Praying  (Wilkinson) 403 

Moloch-Ox-headed,  on  a  Gem  from  Nin'eveh  (Layard)         •        .  405 

The  Egyptian  Hippopotamus 415 

Arabs  of  the  Adwan  Tribe  [Captain  Conder,  R.E,)       ,        .         .  417 

Jewish  Captives,  from  the  Assyrian  Sculptures  at  Kuorsabad  435 

State  Slaves  in  Assyria  Dragging   a  huge   Sculpture   to  its  . 

destined  Site 438 

Ancient  Egyptian  Winged  Form  (Wilkinson)        ....  447 

Darius  Hystaspis  Treading  his  Enemies  under  Foot         •        •  457 

Tomb  of  Darius  Hystaspis,  at  Persepolis    .....  459 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 


NOAH. 


THE  date  at  which  Noah  lived  is  differently 
reckoned  in  the  various  chronologies  that  have 
been  ingeniously  compiled  from  the  sacred  text.  The 
E-abbis  think  he  was  born  1056  years  after  tlie  creation 
of  Adam ;  the  calculations  of  the  authors  of  the  Greek 
version  of  the  Old  Testament  suppose  his  birth-year 
to  have  been  1642  years  after  that  event;  while  the 
Samaritan  Pentateuch  carries  it  back  to  the  year  707 
after  that  of  the  first  man. 

It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  no  certainty  can  be  attained. 
Indeed,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  very  frag- 
mentary notices  of  the  early  chapters  of  Genesis  cannot 
be  supposed  to  give  more  than  a  few  isolated  dates, 
and  leave  unknown  intervals  which  did  not  bear  on 
the  sacred  narrative,  wholly  unnoticed.  The  mountain- 
peaks  and  landmarks  of  primeval  history  are  named, 
but  the  broad  spaces  between  remain  unmentioned. 
There  is  room  for  an  indefinite  expansion  of  the  period 
since  Adam's  creation. 

Things  had  gone  on  badlv  in  the  earth  in  these  early 


2  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

ages.  Time  enougli  had  passed  to  raise  man  from  the 
lower  to  the  higher  stages  of  civilization.  The  pastoral 
life  had  perhaps  succeeded  that  of  the  hunter,  and  by 
slow  advance  had  passed  to  that  of  settled  life  in  com- 
munities. How  long  it  takes  for  simple  tribes  to  rise 
to  such  an  artificial  culture  as  to  need  the  arts  and 
luxuries  of  a  city  population,  with  its  implied  develop- 
ment of  intercourse  and  education,  it  is  easy  to  conjec- 
ture, by  recalling  the  slow  advance  to  such  a  condition 
in  historic  periods. 

It  is  hard  to  say  what  the  world  was  like  in  Noah's 
lifetime.  The  only  possible  clue  must  be  sought  in  the 
stage  which  civilization  had  attained  in  the  earliest 
dawn  of  the  post-diluvian  nations.  But  judging  from 
this,  Noah  must  have  lived  amidst  a  race  enjoying 
many  of  the  highest  results  of  social  and  political  ma- 
turity. In  the  remotest  period  of  which  records  in  any 
measure  survive,  we  find  Egypt,  almost  a  thousand 
years  before  the  birth  of  Abraham,  exhibiting  a  degree 
of  civilization  that  is  inexplicable  except  on  the  theory 
that  she  had  received  most  of  its  secrets  as  a  priceless 
heritage  from  the  world  that  had  perished  in  the  Flood. 
Gigantic  pyramids  illustrated  the  triumphs  of  architec- 
tural science ;  for  their  masonry  is  still  unrivalled,  their 
finish  still  commands  admiration,  and  their  proportions 
and  structure  reveal  a  subtle  knowledge  of  geometric 
and  theoretical  mathematics.  Sculpture  and  statuary 
had  reached  a  perfection,  whether  in  wood,  or  soft  ala- 
baster, or  the  hardest  granite,  which  later  ages  never 
surpassed  in  Egypt.  The  art  of  picture-writing  had 
been  perfected.  The  religion  of  the  country  was  already 
reduced  to  a  system,  and  the  seasons  marked  by  a  regu- 
lar calendar  of  festivals.  The  king's  court  exhibited  all 
the  state  and  circumstance  of  well-defined  precedence 


NOAH.  8 

and  forms ;  the  army,  the  civil  service,  the  hierarchy- 
were  minutely  organized;  and  society  had  already 
divided  and  sub-divided  itself  into  distinct  grades,  from 
the  wealthy  lord  to  the  humble  workman  and  slave. 
The  glass-blower,  the  gold-worker,  the  potter,  the  tailor, 
the  baker,  the  butler,  the  barber,  the  waiting-maid,  and 
the  nurse,  were  part  of  the  establishment  of  each  high 
noble  or  priest.  The  acrobat,  the  dancer,  the  harper 
and  the  singer  ministered  to  the  public  pleasure,  and 
games  of  chance  and  skill  were  as  familiar  as  they 
are  to-day.  If  the  hut  of  the  poor  was  wretched,  the 
mansion  of  the  wealthy  was  sumptuous ;  and  if  the  slave 
was  well-nigh  naked,  his  lord  displayed  himself  in 
snowy  white,  set  off  by  golden  collars,  bracelets,  and 
anklets.^  Such  refinement  is  always  of  slow  growth, 
for  it  implies  the  discovery  and  general  introduction  of 
many  arts  and  sciences,  and  Egyptian  tradition  appears 
only  to  have  embodied  what  must  be  assumed,  when  it 
traced  the  ^^  wisdom  ^^  which  distinguished  the  valley 
of  the  Nile,  to  the  race  before  the  Flood. 

The  Babylonian  records,  so  strangely  recovered  in  our 
own  day,  seem  to  point  to  the  same  conclusion  respect- 
ing the  primitive  civilization  of  the  region  in  which 
mankind  had  its  earliest  seat.  As  early  as  two  thousand 
years  before  Christ — that  is,  in  Abraham^s  day — the 
adventures  of  Izdhubar  had  been  composed  in  an  epic 
of  twelve  books,  each  answering  to  a  sign  of  the  zodiac, 
and  to  the  month  named  after  it.  A  great  collection  of 
sacred  hymns  had  already  been  compiled,  which  formed 
at  once  the  Chaldasan  Bible  and  liturgy.  Libraries  had 
been  formed  in  which  were  treatises  on  the  conjunction 
of  the  sun  and  moon,  on  the  movement  of  Mars  and 

'  Birch's  Egypt  from  the  Monuments,  p.  44.  See.  also,  j)asHm, 
Eber's  Uarda:  An  Egyptian  Romance, 


4  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

Yenus,  and  on  comets.  There  have  even  been  found 
tlie  directions  for  students,  instructing  tliem  to  write 
down  tlie  number  of  the  book  required,  that  the  librarian 
might  presently  hand  it  them.  One  library  was  specially 
rich  in  mathematical  works,  and,  connected  with  that  at 
Cuthah,  was  an  observatory,  from  which  the  Astronomer 
Boyal  was  required  to  send  fortnightly  reports  of  his 
observations  to  the  king,  some  of  which  have  been  re- 
covered.^ 

That  such  many-sided  culture  should  have  flourished 
so  early  seems  to  point  back  to  a  still  more  remote  civi- 
lization, handed  down  by  Noah  and  the  survivors  of  the 
ancient  world. 

But  whatever  the  social  and  public  life  of  the  ante- 
diluvian race  may  have  been,  it  had  attained  a  sad  pre- 
eminence in  all  that  was  evil.  In  the  striking  language 
of  Scripture,  "  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence. '^ 
Lawless  impiety  grew  continually  more  daring.  Two 
great  families  had  divided  mankind  since  the  Fall, — 
that  of  Seth,  in  whose  posterity  the  knowledge  and  fear 
of  Grod  had  been  cherished ;  and  that  of  Cain,  whose 
descendants  had  repudiated  both.  But  while  the  latter 
had  sunk  steadily  lower,  the  former  had  also  sadly 
deteriorated,  till  at  last  the  two  had  largely  mingled. 
The  light  of  paradise  that  had  for  a  time  lingered  in 
the  sky  was  gradually  fading  away. 

Even  the  race  of  Seth  had  thus  become  so  tainted 
with  the  general  corruption  that  it  seemed  as  if  god- 
liness would  utterly  vanish  from  the  earth.  But  amidst 
the  almost  universal  darkness,  one  faint  sparkle  of 
cheering  light  shone  beneath  the  roof  of  a  son  of  the 
fallen  race.     Lamech  still  feared  the  God  of  Eden.     As 

^  Assyria,  by  George  Smith,  p.  20.  Records  of  the  Past,  vol.  i. 
pp.  155-159. 


NOAH.  G 

in  every  generation  since,  however,  tlie  burden  of  life 
lay  heavy  on  this  old-world  patriarch,  so  that  he  was 
glad,  like  all  of  us,  to  catch  comfort  from  any  bright 
incident  in  his  daily  story.  Such  an  one  it  seemed,  when, 
in  what  we  should  think  his  old  age,  a  son  was  bom 
to  him.  '^  Let  us  call  his  name  Noah,"  said  he  ;  "  this 
boy  will  comfort  us  in  our  work  and  the  toil  of  our 
hands."  But  the  name,  which  meant  "rest,"  seemed 
far  from  carrying  a  prophecy  with  it,  for  instead  of 
quiet,  the  Deluge  was  in  the  background.  Yet,  if  he 
did  not  bring  rest,  Noah  was  a  type  and  pledge  of  it 
in  a  higher  sense  than  Lamech  dreamed ;  for  his  Ark 
has  ever  since  been  an  emblem  of  the  final  redemption 
of  our  world  from  its  curse,  and  he  himself  became  the 
earnest  of  a  second  and  greater  Saviour,  under  whom 
evil  was  to  be  banished  from  the  earth,  not  by  a  curse, 
but  by  the  waters  of  love  and  pity,  above  which  a  new 
world  of  holiness  should  rise. 

Of  the  life  of  Noah  before  the  awful  event  in  which 
he  played  the  most  prominent  part,  we  know  almost 
nothing.  One  characteristic  feature  of  it,  indeed,  is 
named,  but  with  no  details.  He  spent  the  long  years 
of  warning  before  the  catastrophe  that  was  to  destroy 
mankind,  in  '^  preaching  righteousness,"  ^  in  the  hope 
of  leading  some  of  his  contemporaries  to  repent. 

The  form  and  characteristics  of  the  Ark  built  by 
Noah  have  been  the  subject  of  much  controversy.  It 
would  seem  to  have  been  larger  than  our  greatest 
man-of-war,  though  somewhat  less  than  the  Great 
Eastern  ;  but  in  the  uncertainty  respecting  the  ancient 
cubit,  the  exact  dimensions  cannot,  perhaps,  be  deter- 
mined.     Curiously   enough,    a   Dutchman,    at    Hoorn, 

»  2  Peter  ii.  5 :  Heb.  xi.  7. 


6  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

built  a  vessel,  in  1609,  on  the  model  of  tlie  Ark  as 
described  in  Grenesis,  and  it  was  found  tbat  the  result 
was  a  structure  capable  of  holding  much  more  tban 
others  differently  shaped,  though  of  equal  cubical  con- 
tents. 

The  range  of  the  Flood  was  long  supposed  to  have 
been  universal ;  but  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  such 
a  stupendous  miracle,  and  the  uselessness  of  covering 
with  water  vast  regions  as  yet  uninhabited ;  the  absence 
of  any  traces  which  could  be  assigned  to  a  universal 
deluge,  and  the  evidence  in  the  superficial  drift  of  all 
countries  of  repeated  great  local  floods ;  have  led  to  the 
more  natural  and  equally  satisfactory  conclusion  that 
Noah's  Deluge  aifected  only  a  special  region.  The 
capacity  of  the  Ark  itself,  indeed,  is  a  decisive  proof 
that  this  must  have  been  so,  for  no  one  vessel  of  any 
conceivable  size  would  afford  room  for  the  nine  thousand 
species  of  quadrupeds,  birds,  and  reptiles,  already 
known;  far  less  contain  food  for  them  besides.  Nor 
must  it  be  forgotten  that  different  parts  of  the  world 
reveal  distinct  centres  of  creation  which  have  been 
undisturbed,  even  from  geological  ages,  by  any  violent 
catastrophe  like  a  universal  flood. 

The  entire  ignorance  of  the  extent  of  the  earth,  in 
antiquity,  confirms  the  belief  in  the  Flood  having  been 
only  local.  To  the  Hebrews,  the  "  whole  earth  "  was 
a  phrase  singularly  childlike  to  our  better  knowledge. 
Even  in  the  later  ages,  the  ancient  Jew  fancied  the 
world  a  great  plain,  roughened  by  mountains,  with  the 
ocean  flowing  round  it  in  one  great  stream.  He  knew 
Egypt  and  Arabia,  Asia  Minor,  the  land  bordering  the 
south  of  the  Black  Sea,  and  between  its  eastern  end 
and  the  Caspian,  and  the  strip  along  the  northern  side 
of  the  Mediterranean,,  as  far  as  Spain  j — but  all  else  was 


NOAH.  7 

a  I)  -stery.^  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  even  Europe, 
^>-  :.  ;ij  large  sense,  did  not  exist  to  him. 

fUs  ^se  of  the  phrase  "the  whole  earth''  was  in 
iveeping"  with  such  narrow  conceptions.  He  might 
either  mean  the  whole  world  as  known  to  him,  or  the 
"wjiole  country,"  or  "district.''  He  called  the  narrow 
bounds  of  the  land  of  Judah,  or  of  the  Philistines^ 
^' the  earth,"  no  less  than  the  wider  all-embracing 
\\orld.  There  is  nothing  therefore  to  hinder  our  belief 
ihat  the  judgment  in  which  Noah  played  so  prominent 
a  part  was  limited  to  a  special  region. 

That  such  an  awful  catastrophe  as  the  Flood  really 
liappened  is  strangely  corroborated  by  the  universality 
(ii  ;he  traditions  of  it  among  the  most  widely  separated 
na^  ^ons.  Not  only  the  neighbouring  but  the  most  re- 
mote races  have  preserved  the  story  of  such  a  visitation. 
The  Greeks,  the  Egyptians,  the  Persians,  the  Hindoos, 
the  Chinese,  and  even  the  American  Indians  have  their 
legjnds  of  such  a  vast  world-destroying  calamity.^  The 
awful  recollection  has  burned  itself  into  the  memory  of 
universal  man. 

1 1  is  striking  that  the  time  assigned  for  the  beginning 
of  che  Flood  was  the  season  of  the  year  when  the  fruits 
of  the  earth  were  ripe,  and  that  its  close  ushered  the 
sa%ed  ones  to  the  new  earth  again,  at  the  time  when 
sowing  and  planting  for  the  next  harvest  were  required.^ 

Macaulay  has  pictured  the  appalling  ruin  of  the 
di'  adful  interval : — 

From  the  heaven  streams  down  amain 
For  forty  days  the  sheeted  rain; 


*  Merx's  Althehraische  WeWcarte. 

*  Delitzsch,  Kom.  iiher  die  Genesis,  p.  224 

*  Niigelsbach  in  Herzog,  Art.  "  NoAn." 


8  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

And  from  her  ancient  barriers  free, 

With  a  deafening  roar,  the  sea 

Conies  foaming  up  the  land. 
Mother,  cast  thy  babe  aside  : 
Bridegroom,  quit  thy  virgin  bride : 
Brother,  pass  thy  brother  by : 
'Tis  for  life,  for  life  ye  fly ! 

Along  the  drear  horizon  raves 

The  swift  advancing  line  of  waves. 

On,  on ;  their  frothy  crests  appear 

Each  moment  nearer,  and  more  near. 

Urge  the  dromedary's  speed. 

Spur  to  death  the  reeling  steed, 

If,  perchance,  ye  yet  may  gain 

The  mountains  that  o'erhang  the  plain. 

On  that  proud  mountain's  crown 

The  few  surviving  sons  and  daughters 

Shall  see  their  latest  sun  go  down 

Upon  a  boundless  waste  of  waters. 

None  salutes,  and  none  replies  ; 

I^one  heaves  a  groan,  or  breathes  a  prayer; 
They  crouch  on  earth  with  tearless  eyes, 
And  clenched  hands,  and  bristling  hair. 

The  rain  pours  on,  no  star  illumes 

The  blackness  of  the  roaring  sky ; 
And  each  successive  billow  booms 
Higher  still,  and  still  more  high. 

And  now,  upon  the  howling  blast 

The  wreaths  of  spray  come  thick  and  fast ; 

And  a  great  billow  by  the  tempest  curled. 

Falls  with  a  thundering  crash,  and  all  is  o'er : 
And  what  is  left  of  all  this  glorious  world? 

A  sky  without  a  beam,  a  sea  without  a  shore. 

The  simple  story  of  the  sending  forth,  the  unclean 
raven  which  never  returned,  and  then  the  gentle  dove 
which  let  Noah  put  forth  his  hand  and  take  it  in,  is 
graven  on  all  hearts.  No  less  so  are  the  incidents  that 
follow — the  sacrifice  of  thanks  to  God^  and  His  accept- 


NOAH.  9 

ance  of  it  and  promise  that  no  such  destruction  should 
ever  re-visit  the  world,  but  that  seed-time  and  harvest, 
cold  and  heat,  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night 
should  never  cease. 

The  covenant  made  with  Noah  is  of  striking  interest. 
Ages  after,  compliance  with  its  requirements  was  all 
that  was  demanded  from  proselytes  of  the  gate,  who 
could  not  bring  themselves  to  accept  the  whole  law 
of  Moses.  Like  the  Sabbath,  the  prohibition  of  blood 
is  dated  from  the  earliest  antiquity.  Blood  was,  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Hebrew,  "  the  life,"  or  even  "  soul,"  and  as 
such  belonged  to  God,  and  must  not  be  used  in  any  way 
by  man.  It  must  either  be  poured  out  on  the  altar  as 
a  sacred  offering,  or  otherwise  put  apart.  Man  must  on 
no  account  partake  of  it.  Yet  all  creatures,  with  this 
restriction,  were  to  be  his  food.  They  were  given  to 
him,  as  the  green  herb  had  been  already,  to  consume  at 
his  will.  But  the  shedding  of  human  blood  was  sternly 
forbidden,  and  was  to  be  required  even  from  a  beast;  a  law 
which  continued  in  force  even  in  the  time  of  Moses,  for 
he,  also,  enacted  that  the  ox  by  which  a  man  was  gored 
should  be  at  once  put  to  death.  When  man  was  the 
homicide,  stern  retribution  was  to  be  taken.  "  Whoso 
sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed  : 
for  in  the  image  of  God  made  He  man ;  "  ^  and  as  such, 
man  is  sacred  and  inviolable. 

It  has  been  reserved  to  our  day  to  witness  a  signal 
corroboration  of  the  Scripture  narrative  of  the  Flood, 
from  the  long-buried  tablets  of  Assyria ;  the  very  region 
from  which  Abraham,  the  founder  of  the  Jewish  race, 
which  was  to  be  the  channel  and  depositary  of  Revela- 
tion, was  sent  forth  by  God,  to  cai'ry  out  the  high 
destiny  assigned  him. 

»  Exod.  xxi.  28. 


10  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEKS. 

The  awful  story  had  imprinted  itself  with  special 
exactness  on  the  memory  of  the  race  which  had  chosen 
for  its  home  the  very  scene  of  the  great  visitation. 
The  legend  as  handed  down  to  us  on  the  Izdhubar 
tablets,  tells  of  a  revelation  to  a  Chaldaean  Noah  to 
build  an  Ark,  and  "  to  cause  to  ascend  into  it  the  seed  of 
all  life."  He  was  to  go  into  it  himself,  and  to  take  with 
him  ^^his  grain,  his  furniture,  his  goods,  his  wealth,  his 
women  servants,  his  female  slaves,  and  his  young  men,'' 
and  is  told  that  "the  beasts  of  the  field  will  be  all 
gathered  and  sent  to  him,  and  enclosed  in  his  door/' 
Besides  his  own  household,  some  "  sons  of  the  people  '* 
were  to  be  saved. 

After  a  time  Shamas  sent  a  great  rain  flood,  with 
thunder.  All  who  were  to  be  saved  entered  the  Ark, 
and  the  flood  ere  long  "  reached  to  heaven.  The  bright 
earth  was  turned  to  a  waste.''  On  the  seventh  day  the 
rains  ceased ;  the  Ark  was  stopped  by  the  mountain  of 
Nizir,  and  Noah  sent  forth  a  dove,  wliich  presently 
returned.  Then  he  sent  out  a  swallow,  which  also  came 
back,  but  a  raven,  sent  out  next,  did  not  show  itself 
again.  As  in  Scripture,  the  Chaldaean  Noah  offered  a 
sacrifice  when  he  left  the  Ark,  and  God  made  a  covenant 
that  He  would  no  more  destroy  the  earth  with  a  flood.^ 
So  minutely  do  the  recovered  tablets,  four  thousand 
years  after  they  were  written,  corroborate  the  Book  of 
Genesis. 

The  name  Hasisadra  given  to  Noah  in  the  Chaldsean 
story,  indicates  the  estimate  formed  in  those  ages  of  his 
character.  It  means,  "  the  reverent,"  and  "  attentive." 
He  stands  out  on  the  edge  of  the  world's  history  as  a 
type  of  patient  goodness  in  the  midst  of  evil ;  strong  in 

^  Transactions  of  Soc.  of  Bih.  Archceology,  vol.  ii.  pp.  213-234 ; 
vol.  iv.  p.  49.     Smith's  Babylonia,  pp.  38-48. 


NOAH. 


11 


faith,  when  sense  and  reason  miglit  naturally  doubt, 
and  honoured  supremely  for  this  fidelity.  The  picture 
drawn  of  him  in  Scripture,  and  that  given  of  the  judg- 
ment which  he  and  his  household  alone  survived,  is  very 
different  from  the  wild  fancies  of  legend.  Even  in  the 
Book  of  Enoch  we  have  extravagances  respecting  him 
and  it  which  contrast  very  strikingly  with  the  calmness 
of  Grenesis  ;  and  the  stories  of  the  Rabbis  are  still  more 
fantastic.  But  in  the  Sacred  Narrative  he  stands  before 
us  with  a  touching  human  simplicity,  which  no  false 
glare  of  exaggeration  seeks  for  a  moment  to  hide. 
Before  the  catastrophe,  he  shows  his  natural  sympathy 
for  his  race  by  a  prophet-like  earnestness  of  persuasion 
to  that  ^^  righteousness  "  which  alone  could  save  them, 
and,  after  it,  we  turn  to  him  as  the  solitary  figure  in  a 
desolated  world,  witnessing  to  his  piety  in  the  first 
moment  of  his  deliverance  by  the  smoke  of  grateful 
thank-offering  from  his  rude  altar ;  to  the  end,  as  from 
the  first,  a  man,  in  all  points,  like  ourselves. 


AvcixiTT  Altiks. 


ABRAHAM. 

AMONG-  tlie  grand  figures  tliat  stand  out  from  tlie 
jL\.  background  of  the  remote  past,  none  is  more  com- 
manding than  that  of  the  patriarch  Abraham.  Other 
names  may  have  much  glory,  but  the  supreme  grandeur 
attaches  to  his,  that  it  recalls  to  three  great  communions 
of  mankind — the  Jew,  the  Mussulman,  and  the  Chris- 
tian— that  from  him  they  have  received  the  common 
heritage  of  faith  in  One  Living  and  Personal  Grod,  and 
that  he  was  so  unique  in  his  fidelity  to  Him,  whom  he 
was,  thus,  the  first  to  honour  widely  among  men,  that 
he  was  called,  by  Himself,  His  Friend. 

To  reach  the  age  of  Abraham,  we  have  to  carry  our- 
selves back  more  than  two  thousand  years  before  Christ. 
In  that  shadowy  morning  of  time  he  was  born  in  the 
tents  of  Terah  ^'  the  Wanderer,^^  among  the  hill  pastures 
and  wide  plains  of  the  Northern  Euphrates.^ 

^  It  would  appear  as  if  the  Bible  chronology  fixed  Abraham's 
birth  at  about  sixty  years  before  the  death  of  Noah,  and  not  more 
than  three  hundred  after  the  Flood.*  But  it  is  to  be  remembered 
that  throughout  Scripture  it  is  the  practice  to  omit  many  links 
in  genealogies,  and  to  pass  in  silence  over  whole  generations  not 
specially  related  to  the  transmission  of  the  Promise;  so  that 
chronology  in  any  strict  sense  is  simply  impossible. 

The  ascertained  age  of  the  Egyptian  dynasties,  dating  from 

*  Kurtz,  Art.  "  Abraham,"  in  Herzog's  Ency. 
12 


ABRAHAM.  13 

Even  in  tliose  early  days  tlie  splendour  of  tlie 
Chaldsean  skies  by  day  and  by  nigbt  had  filled  the 
minds  of  the  simple  children  of  nature  who  lived  be- 
neath them  with  a  solemn  awe  which  soon  passed  into 
worship.  Terah  himself  had  fallen  into  this  most  ancient 
form  of  idolatry  before  Abraham's  birth,  ^  but  his  son 
rose  above  it,  and  clung  to  the  purer  faith  of  Noah. 
One  day,  in  his  boyhood,  says  tradition_,  or,  rather, 
poetry,  looking  round  on  the  earth,  and  up  to  the 
heavens,  he  began  to  think  who  could  have  created 
them.  Presently  the  sun  rose  in  his  splendour,  and  he 
thought  it  must  be  the  Creator ;  and  he  bowed  himself 
before  it,  and  adored  it  the  whole  day.  But  when 
evening  came,  it  set,  and  Abraham  then  thought  it  could 
not  surely,  after  all,  be  the  Maker  of  all  things. 

But,  now,  the  moon  rose  in  the  east,  and  a  countless 
host  of  stars  appeared.  ^'  Verily,"  cried  the  boy,  ^^  the 
moon  is  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  and  the  stars  are 
His  ministering  servants  !  "  and  he  bowed  himself  before 
the  moon,  and  adored  it.  .  The  moon,  however,  ere  long 
sank  in  the  west,  and  the  stars  grew  pale,  and  the  sun 
showed  himself  once  more  on  the  edge  of  the  horizon. 
Then  said  he,  "  Truly  these  heavenly  bodies  can  none 
of  them  have  created  this  universe  :  they  only  obey  an 
unseen  Will,  to  whom  they  all  alike  owe  their  being : 
Him  alone  will  I  henceforth  adore,  and  to  Him  only 
will  I  bow.'^  2 

Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  where  Abraham  first  comes  before 

about  B.C.  3000,  *  is  alone  sufRcient  to  prove  the  existence  of  a  gap 
in  the  fragmentary  notices  of  Genesis  respecting  the  ages  be- 
tween Noah  and  the  Patriarch. 

^  Joshua  xxiv.  2. 

2  Beer's  Lehen  Abraham's,  p.  3. 

*  Birch's  Ancient  Egypt,  p.  28. 


14  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

us_,  has  been  identified,  by  tbe  inscriptions  on  bricks,  as 
having  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  village  of 
Mugheir,  in  Lower  Babylonia.  It  was  then  close  to  the 
sea,  so  that  its  '^  ships  '^  are  often  mentioned,  but  a 
wide  extent  of  land,  formed  at  the  mouths  of  the  Eu- 
phrates and  Tigris,  now  lies  between  it  and  the  Persian 
Gulf.  Here  Abraham  lived,  and  here  perhaps  he  took 
for  wife  his  half-sister  Sarai.^  She  was  about  ten  years 
younger  than  he,^  and  still  famous  for  her  beauty  long 
after  her  marriage.^  Such  a  relationship  was  usual 
then,  though  at  a  later  date  not  only  forbidden  by  Moses, 
but  punished  with  death .^  She  had  no  children,  but  the 
love  he  bore  her  was  none  the  less,  and  thus  the  youth 
and  early  life  of  the  two  passed  pleasantly  in  their 
bustling  sea-port  home,  amidst  their  friends. 

Ur  was  the  centre  of  the  local  idolatry,  and  boasted 
of  famous  temples  and  gods.  The  moon  especially  was 
worshipped,  but  there  were  many  humbler  deities.  To 
stay  permanently  in  such  a  community  might  have 
imperilled  the  religious  future  of  the  race  to  spring 
from  Abraham,  which  was  designed  by  God  to  be  the 
repository  of  His  revelations  to  mankind.  It  is  quite 
possible,  besides,  that  the  traditions  of  the  Rabbis,  which 
speak  of  Abraham  suffering  persecution  for  his  faith, 
may  have  been  well  founded.  To  these  causes,  per- 
haps, it  was  owing  that  Terah  resolved  to  leave  Ur, 
and  move  off  with  his  sons  Abraham — as  yet  called 
Abram — and  Nahor — for  his  youngest  son  Haran,  the 

*  There  is  great  difference  in  the  etymologies  proposed  for 
this  name.  They  include  "  The  colocynth  " — reckoned  a  grace- 
ful plant  (Michaelis),  and  "  contentious  or  quarrelsome  "  (Ewald). 
I  have  given  that  of  Fiirst.  For  her  relationship  to  Abraham 
Bee  Gen.  xx.  12. 

2  Gen.  xvii.  17.  ^  Gen.  xii.  14. 

^  Lev.  xviii.  9  ;  xx.  17 ;  Deut.  xxvii.  22. 


ABEAHAM. 


15 


father  of  Lot,  was  already  dead — to  tlie  pasture-lands 
of  Canaan,  of  wliich  fame  liad  doubtless  spread  glowing 
reports,  as  a  green  oasis  on  the  west  of  the  great 
Arabian  desert,  which  stretched  from  the  Euphrates  to 
the  hills  of  Gilead. 

Terah,  with  his  dependents  and  flocks,  and  Abram 
and  Lot  with  theirs,  therefore,  left  the  south,  to  seek 
new  lands  ;  Nahor  following  at  a  later  time.  Man  pro- 
poses, however,  but  God  disposes.    Terahj  the  worshipper 


Babylonian  Beick,  with  Inscsiption. 

of  strange  gods,  was  not  to  found  the  new  race  in 
Canaan,  chosen  for  special  favour  by  God ;  his  idolatry 
unfitting  him  for  the  honour.  So  he  got  no  farther 
than  the  plain  of  Haran,  on  the  banks  of  the  stream 
that  flowed  from  the  Eastern  hills.  Here  he  spent  the 
rest  of  his  life,  and  here  Abram  watched  by  his  death- 
bed. 

Legend  fills  up  this  period  with  narratives  of  fierce 
trials  inflicted  on  the  patriarch  by  the  impious  Nimrod, 
then  king  of  all  these  regions.     He  is  said  to  have  been 


16  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEBS. 

thrown  into  a  dungeon  and  miraculously  fed,  and  even 
to  have  been  cast  into  a  fiery  furnace,  the  flames  of 
which  suddenly  went  out,  while  the  wood  changed  into 
blossoming,  fruit-bearing  trees,  making  a  delightful 
garden,  in  which  angels  were  seen  sitting,  with  Abram 
in  their  midst.^  In  Edessa  a  spring  is  still  sacred,  as 
that  which  burst  from  the  earth  and  quenched  the 
flames.- 

But  Abram  was  not  to  live  and  die  in  these  remote 
and  sequestered  regions.  He  had  been  chosen  to  found 
a  race  in  which  the  knowledge  of  the  One  God  should 
be  handed  down  to  all  future  ages,  and  when  the  time 
was  ripe  he  was  irresistibly  led  to  carry  out  this  Divine 
purpose.  What  is  meant  by  ^'  the  call  ^^  he  received, 
we  cannot  tell,  but,  whatever  it  was,  the  voice  of  God 
was  felt  summoning  him  to  carry  out  the  earlier  but 
unf alfilled  intention  of  his  father,  by  migrating,  at  last, 
to  Canaan. 

It  was  the  migration,  not  of  a  household,  but  of 
a  tribe,  from  which,  hereafter,  were  to  spring  many 
nations.  Moving  a  short  distance  to  the  west  and  then 
striking  south,  along  the  eastern  skirt  of  the  Syrian 
hills,  for  the  sake  of  water,  he  would  ere  long  reach 
Damascus — the  oldest  city  still  inhabited  by  man.  But 
though  it  must  have  seemed  to  the  mass  of  the  tribe, 
and  to  those  who  saw  their  long-drawn  array  on  the 
march  or  in  its  encampment,  only  a  migration  like  that 
of  other  tribes,  the  secret  impulse  in  the  breast  of  their 
leader  to  leave  his  country,  his  kindred,  and  his  father^s 
house,  to  go  to  a  land  to  be  pointed  out  by   God,   and 

*  Beer's  Leheu  Ahraliam'e,  p.  17. 

2  Edessa  was  formerly  thought  by  many  to  have  been  "  Ur  of 
the  Chaldees."  See  Bertheau  on  the  whole  subject,  Art.  '*Ur 
KASDiii,"  in  Schenkel's  Lese, 


ABE  AH  AM.  17 

tlie  animating  trust  tliat  liis  obedience  to  tlie  heavenly 
"  call  ^^  would  secure  tlie  fulfilment  of  a  Divine  promise 
tliat  liad  been  made  biin,  raised  it_,  in  its  deeper  aspect, 
to  something  unspeakably  greater.  For,  had  not  the 
Lord  said  unto  Abram,  "  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house, 
unto  a  land  that  I  will  show  thee  :  and  I  will  make  of 
thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy 
name  great ;  and  thou  shalt  be  a  blessing  :  and  I  will 
bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that  curseth 
thee  ;  and  in  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be 
blessed  ?  '' 

Separated  from  the  idolatry  of  his  country,  and  even 
of  his  kindred,  he  was  able,  henceforth,  to  preserve  in  at 
least  one  branch  of  his  descendants,  the  faith  in  the  One 
Grod,  and  he  henceforth  became,  for  ever,  its  representa- 
tive and  first  apostle,  from  whom  all  mankind  received 
it.     The  promise  was  nobly  fulfilled  even  in  this. 

In  the  grand  fidelity  of  Abram  to  this  first  principle 
and  foundation  of  all  true  religion,  and  in  the  simple, 
unhesitating  faith  with  which  he  acted  at  once  and 
to  the  fullest,  on  every  intimation  of  the  Diviue  Will, 
lay  the  supreme  distinction  which  gained  him  his  two 
unique  titles— the  ''  Father  of  the  Faithful,"  and  "  The 
Friend  of  God." 

It  is  easy  for  us  at  this  day  to  accept  the  belief  in 
One  God,  but  to  be  the  first  to  maintain  it  amidst  uni- 
versal idolatry  was  very  different.  The  worship  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  and  even  the  servile  worship  of  con- 
querors and  kings,  had  spread  far  and  wide.  Even  at 
this  day,  after  so  many  ages,  the  wandering  Arab 
trembles  at  the  name  of  Nimrod  as  of  that  of  some 
awful  power,  and  the  sculptures  of  Egypt  still  embody 
the  abject  terror  men  then  felt  before  kings,  as  before 

c 


18  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

superliuman  beings,  in  the  gigantic  size  assigned  to 
tliem  in  comparison  to  other  men.^  The  strength  of 
mind  and  force  of  character  which  could  first  realize,, 
and  then,  in  the  face  of  a  world  opposed  to  it,  keep 
resolutely  to  the  belief  in  One  God  alone — distinct  from 
nature,  invisible,  holy,  almighty,  and  yet  the  Father  of 
man — claim  the  truest  homage.     But  this  Abram  did. 

Thus,  when  all  else  proved  apostate,  he  showed  him- 
self the  friend  of  God  by  steadfast  faithfulness — the 
Abdiel  of  his  generation.  And  as  he  bore  himself  in 
this  way  towards  God,  he  was  met,  as  always  is  the 
case,  with  a  return  infinitely  greater,  for  he  was  treated 
as  a  friend,  accepted  and  loved.  He  was  ^^  beloved  of 
God,"  "  chosen "  and  '^  called  "  by  Him  to  be  the  de- 
positary and  transmitter  of  the  Promise  to  future  ages, 
and  it  was  to  him  that  it  was  said,  "  Fear  not,  Abram ; 
I  am  thy  shield  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  In 
all  points  only  on  the  level  of  our  common  nature — no 
demi-god  or  hero,  like  the  legendary  fathers  of  other 
nations — he  was  yet  honoured  by  such  relations  to  the 
Almighty  as  no  one  besides  ever  enjoyed.  It  was  to 
him,  especially,  angels  were  sent ;  it  was  at  his  tent 
door  that  God,  in  visible  form,  condescended  to  stand ; 
and  it  was  to  him  that  an  heir  was  granted  when  human 
hope  had  long  ceased. 

But  while  God  was  thus  the  Friend  of  Abraham  no  less 
than  Abraham  was  the  friend  of  God,  the  mere  loyalty  to 
the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  existence  was  by  no  means 
exclusively  that  by  which  the  patriarch  earned  this  great 
title.     His  whole  life  shows  tiiat  his  faith  was  no  mere 

^  The  parts  of  a  statue  100  feet  high,  of  Eameses  II.,  are  still 
to  be  seen  at  Tanis-Zoan,  in  the  Delta.  It  was  cut  in  one  piece, 
and  was  of  highly  polished  granite.  The  quarries  from  which 
it  was  bi'ought  were  at  Assouan,  far  up  the  Nile. 


ABRAHAM.  19 

profession^,  but  tlie  active  principle  of  his  being.  In  the 
grandest  sense  lie  was  "  the  Father  of  the  Faithful." 
No  doubt  of  God's  word  ever  for  a  moment  occurred  to 
him,  even  when  its  fulfilment  might  have  seemed  im- 
possible. "  By  faith,"  says  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
"Abraham,  when  he  was  tried,  offered  up  Isaac — his 
only-begotten  son — from  whom  his  descendants  were  to 
spring — accounting  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  up, 
even  from  the  dead."^  Never  was  the  full  force  of  the 
Hebrew  word  used  more  fitly  than  when  it  is  said  that 
he  "  believed  in  Jehovah  " — that  is,  leaned  back,  as  it 
were,  on  His  assurance,  as  an  all-sufficient  stay ;  rested 
on  it,  as  a  child  on  the  arm  of  its  father  who  carries 
it ;  reposed  his  soul  on  it,  as  an  infant  lies  trustingly 
in  its  mother's  arms.  No  wonder  that  such  faith  was 
counted  to  him  for  righteousness,  for  it  was  the  one 
principle  from  which  all  true  righteousness  must  spring. 
To  show  itself  in  outward  loyalty  of  practice  was  inevit- 
able. "  He  obeyed  the  voice  of  Jehovah,  and  kept  his 
charge.  His  commandments.  His  statutes,  and  His  laws."^ 
He  is  the  type  of  the  religious  man  of  all  ages  or  nations. 
The  first  lengthened  halt  of  the  patriarch  in  his  mi- 
gration seems  to  have  been  at  Damascus.  Legend  has 
made  him  for  a  time  its  king,  but  this  is  only  in  keep- 
ing with  the  exaggeration  of  later  ages.  It  was  there, 
however,  that  he  bought  the  slave  Eliezer,  whom  he 
afterwards  raised  to  be  over  his  affairs.  At  the  head  of 
his  armed  dependents,  and  the  numerous  train  of  a 
great  Arab  tribe,  he  ere  long  moved  farther  south,  and 
first  pitched  his  tent  and  raised  an  altar  in  the  Promised 
Land,  under  the  shadow  of  the  oak  or  terebinth  tree  of 
Moreh,  near  Shechem,  one  of  the  most  delightful  spots 
in  Palestine.  Soon  after,  we  find  him  moving  south  to 
*  Chap.  xi.  17.  ^  Genesis  icxvi.  5. 


20  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

Bethel^  but  only  on  his  way  towards  Egypt_,  for  a  local 
famine  had  stricken  Canaan,  tliough  tlie  bountiful  Nile 
still  spread  fertility  along  its  own  valley. 

The  Egyptian  empire  was  already  old  when  Abraham 
led  his  tribe  of  simple  Asiatics  into  the  midst  of  its  won- 
ders. The  pyramids  rose  before  them  in  their  vastness, 
as  before  us  to-day ;  even  then  monuments  of  the  past. 
The  worship  of  animals  had  been  introduced.  The  mon- 
arch received  personal  adoration  as  the  direct  and  lineal 
descendant  of  the  gods,  and  of  their  substance  and  flesh. 
Anatomy  and  medicine  had  their  literature  and  their 
professors.  Geometry  was  applied  to  mensuration 
and  other  arts.  Temples  of  limestone  and  red  granite 
abounded ;  huge  obelisks  of  polished  red  granite  rose  on 
every  side,  only  less  wonderful  than  the  pyramids,  then 
cased  with  polished  stone;  and  elaborately  finished 
statues  and  idols  of  stone,  of  gold,  of  silver,  of  bronze,  of 
ivory,  and  of  ebony,  were  common.  The  tombs  of  the 
embalmed  dead  were  painted  and  sculptured  with  the 
wondrous  minuteness  and  vividness  that  still  arrests  the 
modern  traveller,  and  a  perfected  system  of  picture- 
writing  recorded  all  public  and  private  life. 

In  social  and  political  life  there  was  no  less  to  strike 
the  mind  of  the  wandering  shepherd  chief.  The  Court 
of  Memphis,  which  he  visited,  swarmed  with  prophets 
and  prophetesses,  priests  of  the  gods,  and  priests 
attached  to  the  personal  w^orship  of  the  reigning  Pharaoh. 
Public  business  was  under  the  charge  of  a  carefully 
organized  civil  service  of  scribes,  secretaries,  and  super- 
intendents. The  great  lords  lived  in  splendour,  sur- 
rounded by  slaves  and  dependents,  and  pampered  with 
every  luxury  at  the  table,  and  every  refined  enjoyment 
of  art. 

Whether   Abraham^  like   Moses,  borrowed  anything 


AT3EAHAM.  21 

from  Egypt  is  not  clear,  tliough  it  is  belie  red  that  the 
rite  of  circumcision  was  first  adopted  from  it.  None 
of  tlie  charms  of  even  a  land  so  rich  and  lovely  could 
attract  him  to  fix  his  dwelling  in  it  permanently,  and 
he  preferred  the  open  pastures  of  the  Land  of  Promise 
to  all  it  could  off*er. 

Returning  to  Bethel,  an  event  took  place  which  decided 
the  character  of  his  whole  future,  and  of  that  of  hia 
race.  His  own  tribe  and  that  of  his  nephew  Lot  had 
hitherto  encamped  together,  but,  they  had  now  grown 
too  numerous  to  find  pasturage  on  a  single  tract.  It 
was  necessary,  therefore,  that  they  should  separate  ;  and 
Lot,  availing  himself  of  the  magnanimity  of  his  uncle, 
which  left  the  choice  of  a  future  home  to  him,  selected 
the  plain  of  the  Jordan,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah.  Had  he  chosen  the  uplands  of  Judah 
and  Samaria,  and  left  Sodom  to  Abraham,  how  dijfferent 
might  future  history  have  been  !  But  Providence  decided 
the  result — not  the  mere  selfishness  of  Lot. 

The  details  of  after  j^ears  cannot  be  fully  noticed  in  a 
short  chapter.  At  one  time  we  find  the  patriarch,  at  the 
head  of  three  hundred  and  eighteen  of  his  tribesmen 
who  had  been  "  trained  to  war,"  rescuing  Lot  from  an 
inroad  of  hostile  tribes  from  the  Euphrates;  and  that 
he  could  muster  such  a  force  shows  that  his  encampment 
must  have  numbered  some  thousands,  old  and  young,  of 
the  two  sexes.  It  is  the  only  instance  of  Abraham 
assuming  the  character  of  a  warrior.  But  fidelity  to  his 
kindred  was  not  less  marked  than  the  upright  indepen- 
dence that  refused  to  accept  any  of  thp  spoil.  His 
intercession  for  Sodom  bespeaks  his  charity  and  tender- 
ness ;  his  purchase  of  the  grave  at  Machpelah,  his 
prudence  and  justice;  and  his  sending  his  steward  to 
Haran  to  get  a  wife  from  his   own   race   for   his  son, 


22  "   OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

illustrates  Ms  resolve  to  keep  his  posterity  distinct  from 
the  idolatrous  populations  among  whom  he  lived. 

It  is,  however,  in  his  readiness  to  obey  the  Divine  will, 
even  at  the  cost  of  the  life  of  his  son,  that  his  character 
rises  to  its  loftiest  grandeur.  No  other  picture  of 
absolute  trust  in  the  faithfulness  of  God  was  ever  so 
perfect.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  loftier  ideal  of 
serene,  undoubting  confidence,  that,  even  in  the  darkest 
mystery,  the  Judge  of  the  whole  earth  would  do  right. 

Sarah,  the  faithful  wife  of  his  youth,  died  at  his  side 
more  than  fifty  years  before  he  himself  followed  her. 
Having  laid  her  in  the  grave  he  had  bought  in  Hebron, 
he  henceforth  stayed  near  at  hand,  to  be  ready  to  be 
laid  once  more  beside  her.  Over  his  grave  his  two  sons, 
Ishmael  and  Isaac,  long  separated,  felt  they  could  once 
more  meet,  for  by  both  he  was  loved  and  honoured. 
The  wild  Bedouin  chief,  with  his  fierce  attendants,  and 
the  peaceful  shepherd  chief,  with  his  servants,  typ.es  of 
difi'erent  races  and  of  different  faiths,  found  a  common 
attraction  in  his  majestic  character  and  worth. 


Egyptian  Physicians  and  Patients. 


ISAAC. 

THE  grand  figure  of  Abraliam — "  Tlio  Friend  of 
God" — is  followed,  in  tlie  stately  succession  of 
Old  Testament  worthies,  by  tliat  of  one  who,  though,  his 
son,  was,  in  many  respects,  a  man  of  a  wholly  different 
type.  It  is  well  that  it  should  be  so  in  this  great  picture- 
gallery  of  the  Saints,  if  only  to  cheer  all  orders  of  mind 
or  temperament,  in  turn,  by  such  convincing  proofs  that 
men  of  every  class  have  their  fitting  sphere  in  the  service 
and  honours  of  the  kingdom  of  Grod. 

Isaac,  the  child  of  long-delayed  promise  and  special 
miracle,  was  born  when  his  mother  was  ninety  years  old, 
and  his  father  a  hundred — an  age,  however,  which  we 
must  measure  by  the  remembrance  that  Abraham  lived 
till  he  was  a  hundred  and  seventy-five,  and  that  Sarah 
died  when  Isaac  was  thirty-seven. 

His  birth  was  the  crowning  event  in  the  history  of 
his  parents,  for  it  was  the  founding  of  a  great  spiritual 
djmasty  which  was  to  inherit  all  future  ages — a  dynasty 
springing,  by  God^s  special  favour,  from  themselves. 
Twenty-four  years  had  passed  since  the  Divine  '^  call " 
had  made  them  leave  their  native  country  beyond  the 
Euphrates,  and,  ever  since,  they  had  been  waiting  for 
the  heir  then  promised  them.  The  laughter  of  in- 
credulity with   which    Sarah    at   last    greeted  the  an- 

S3 


24  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

nouncement  of  his  speedy  birtli^  was  clianged  into  that 
of  joy.  She  was  no  longer  Sarai — "  The  Fruitful  One  " 
— a  name  long  a  bitter  mockery,  but  Sarah — "The 
Princess  " — mother  of  future  kings  and  nations  !  ^  She 
had  obtained  the  proudest  honour  of  an  Eastern  woman 
— she  was  the  mother  of  a  son. 

We  may  trace  the  growth  of  Isaac's  character  in  great 
measure  from  this  exceptional  beginning.  From  the 
first  he  was  the  idol  of  his  mother,  and  from  his  earliest 
recollections  he  was  the  only  child  in  his  father's  tent. 


Arab  Sheiks. 

A  woman  of  warm  affections  and  true  religious  prin- 
ciples, Sarah  was,  nevertheless,  impulsive,  jealous,  and 
imperious.  Impatient  at  her  childlessness,  she  had  first 
given  her  slave  Hagar  to  Abraham,  that  she  might  at 
least  have  a  foster-child,  but  presently  turned  against 
the  poor  girl,  and  drove  her  from  the  encampment. 
She  had  soon  relented,  however ;  perhaps  at  Abraham's 
instance;  but  Ilagar's  child  rekindled  her  jealousy  as 
*  Geu.  xvii.  15. 


ISAAC.  25 

soon  as  her  own  was  born.  Islimael  liad  grown  to  be  a 
fine  boy  of  fourteen  or  fifteen,  and  Abrabam's  pride  in 
bim  was  as  unmistakable  as  it  was  natural.  Could  it  be 
that  he  would  make  him,  instead  of  Isaac_,  his  heir ;  at 
least,  could  he  love  her  child  as  supremely  as  she  wished, 
while  this  bright-eyed  son  of  the  slave-woman  was  daily 
winning  more  of  his  heart,  by  his  high  spirits  and  promise 
of  splendid  manhood  ?  He  must  be  sent  away  to  some 
other  tribe :  she  could  not  sufi'er  his  presence.  The 
customary  feast  at  Isaac's  weaning  supplied  pretext 
enough  for  a  jealous  woman.  Ishmael,  full  of  boyish 
mirth,  was  making  merriment,  and,  very  possibly,  bear- 
ing himself  as  the  elder  born,  with  a  boy's  airs  of 
superiority  to  the  infant  of  two  years  old,  whose  birth 
was  making  so  great  a  stir.  It  was  more  than  Sarah 
could  bear.  Acting  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  she 
demanded  that  Abraham  should  send  away  Hagar  and 
her  son,  now  a  lad  of  sixteen  or  seventeen,  and  let  them 
join  some  distant  tribe  and  never  return.  Nor  had 
Abraham  any  alternative,  but  much  against  his  will 
agreed  to  do  so.^ 

Isaac  thus  grew  up  from  infancy  in  his  mother's  tent, 
an  only  son,  with  the  natural  result  of  catching  a  womanly 
turn  of  character,  for  we  copy  that  with  which  we  are 
most  surrounded  in  early  years.     He  seems,  indeed,  to 

^  Gen.  xxi.  11.  The  word  translated  "  mocking  "  is  translated 
"laughed"  in  xvii.  17;  xviii.  12,  15;  "to  laugh  at,"  xxi.  6;  "to 
mock,"  xix,  14 ;  '*  sporting  with,"  "  caressing,"  xxvi.  8 ;  "to 
mock,"  xxxix,  14,  17.  But  as  Ishmael  was  only  a  boy, his  "mock- 
ing," even  if  we  take  that  sense  of  the  word,  was  not  as  yet  very 
serious. 

Eosenmuller,  Scholia  in  loc,  gives  "  to  persecute  "  as  the  best 
meaning ;  but  he  is  singular  in  this.  Hebrew  children  were 
weaned  at  two  years  old,  or  it  might  be  three. — Winer,  Kind- 
heit. 


26  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHARACTEES. 

the  end  of  his  motlier's  lif  e_,  to  have  remained  very  mucli 
under  tlie  spell  of  lier  autliority;  and  tlie  tradition  of 
tlie  EabbiS;  tliat  his  being  "  comforted  "  after  her  death 
by  taking  a  wife^  points  to  his  having  been  prevented 
by  her  from  doing  so  earlier,,  that  she  might  have  him 
all  to  herself,  may  not  be  without  some  grounds. 

It  was  doubtless  wisely  ordained  that  his  boyhood 
and  youth  should  be  saved  the  example  of  one  who  grew 
to  be  so  unfit  to  benefit  him  as  Ishmael.  The  quiet  life 
of  easy  prosperity  which  he  always  enjoyed,  and  the 
pure  example  ever  before  him  in  both  his  parents,  were 
left  to  mould  him  into  a  gentle,  obedient,  religious  nature, 
which  showed  itself  to  the  last  in  his  peaceful,  yielding, 
simple,  easy  character,  made  venerable  by  his  integrity 
and  devoutness. 

According  to  Josephus,  he  had  reached  his  twenty- 
fifth  year  when  the  great  trial  of  his  life  came  on  him 
at  Mount  Moriah,  or  Moreh,  whichever  it  was — the 
future  hill  of  the  Temple  or  the  Samaritan  Gerizim — in 
the  demand  of  Abraham,  so  appallingly  startling  to  a 
young  man,  that  he  should  lie  down  on  an  altar  he  had 
helped  to  build,  and  let  himself  be  ofiered  as  a  human 
sacrifice.  It  may  be  that  the  "  temptation  ^^  was  sent 
to  Abraham  to  show  that  he  was  willing  to  do  as  much 
for  his  faith  as  the  idolatrous  nations  round,  who  often 
ofiered  their  children  to  their  gods ;  yet  it  is  certain 
that  human  sacrifice  and  self-immolation  were  alike 
condemned  by  the  result.  But  how  grand  the  trust  in 
the  Divine  promises,  which  such  a  test  could  not  shake  ; 
and  how  sublime  the  filial  obedience  and  meekness 
which  were  ready  to  yield  even  life  at  a  father's  sad 
request.     G-entle  dutifulness  could  go  no  further. 

Eleven  peaceful  years  passed  after  this  fiery  ordeal, 
which  had  perfected  and  crowned  the  faith  of  the  father, 


ISAAC.  27 

and  moulded  for  ever  the  character  of  the  son.  Then 
came  the  first  break  in  the  little  circle,  when  Sarah, 
ever  more  tender,  and  more  tenderly  loved  in  return,  lay 
down  and  died,  in  a  good  old  age,  at  Hebron.  Abraham 
was  not  there  when  the  wife  of  his  youth  and  of  his  old 
age  passed  away;  and,  it  may  be,  even  Isaac  was  not  at 
hand  to  close  her  eyes ;  but  they  came  at  once,  at  the 
sad  news,  ^Ho  weep  for  her,^'  and  sit  on  the  ground  in 
lamentation  before  the  dead.  Three  years  later  the 
grief  of  Isaac  was  still  keen  and  fresh,  for  if  there  were 
even  a  shade  of  truth  in  the  thought  that  she  had  kept 
her  son  too  much  in  her  pupilage,  there  is  far  more  in 
the  belief  that  when  he  was  found  alone,  in  the  even- 
tide, in  the  open  country,  he  had  gone  out  to  give  free 
vent  in  solitude  to  his  sorrow  for  her  loss.'^ 

In  Rebekah,  Isaac  found,  at  the  age  of  forty,  a  mind 
stronger  than  his  own,  to  which  henceforth  he  sur- 
rendered himself,  as  he  had  hitherto  done  to  his  parents. 
He  had  been  passive  in  the  selection  of  a  wife,  and  he 
meekly  accepted  her  who  had  been  chosen  for  him. 
Her  name,  "  The  Enchainer,"  may  have  been  a  fitting 
tribute  to  her  charms,  but  it  was  equally  so  to  the 
influence  she  forthwith  acquired  over  her  lord.  He  had 
been  a  gentle  and  dutiful  son,  and  was  now  to  show 
himself  a  constant  and  faithful  husband.  Even  Abra- 
ham had  had  Hagar  as  well  as  Sarah,  and  was  hereafter 
to  marry  Keturah  in  his  old  age,  but  Isaac  had  no  wife 
but  the  one.  He  had  been  born  in  his  mother's  tent  in 
the  poor  upland  pastures  of  the  Negeb,  or  southern 
district  of  Palestine,  and  he  spent  his  whole  life  within 

'  Gen.  xxiv.  6.3.  So  Fiirst :  different  interpreters  translate  the 
word  for  which  "  meditate  "  is  used  in  our  version,  as  "  to  pray," 
**  to  commune  with  himself,"  "  to  take  the  air,"  and  "  to  gather 
together  the  flocks  for  the  night." 


28  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

a  few  miles  of  his  birthplace.  On  his  marriage  he  led 
his  wife  to  his  father's  tents^  after  Eastern  custom^  and 
still  lived  under  his  authority.  Abraham  was  now  a 
hundred  and  forty  years  old_,  but  survived  for  thirty-five 
years  more,  and  in  these  years  married  Keturah, 
apparently  one  of  his  female  slaves_,  for  she  is  called 
only  his  concubine_,  or  wife  of  a  lower  grade. ^  Six  sons 
from  this  marriage  must  have  clouded  the  hearts  of 
both  Isaac  and  Eebekah,  for  twenty  years  passed  with- 
out their  having  a  child.  At  last  Esau  and  Jacob  were 
born  when  Isaac  was  sixty,  and  grew  up  to  be  boys  of 
fifteen  in  the  daily  presence  of  their  saintly  grandfather, 
"  The  Friend  of  God."  The  sons  of  Keturah  had  been 
sent  away  to  the  distant  East,  beyond  the  desert,  before 
Abraham  died,  and  thus  all  that  the  patriarch  had, 
passed  into  Isaac's  hands  when  he  was  gone.- 

Forgetting  at  their  father's  grave  their  long  estrange- 
ment, the  two  brothers,  Ishmael  and  Isaac,  met  at  his 
burial,  for  the  only  time,  so  far  as  we  know,  after  their 
separation  in  Isaac's  infancy.  They  came  together  to 
lay  the  honoured  dust  of  their  father  devoutly  beside 
that  of  Sarah  at  Hebron,  known  even  now  as  El  Khalila, 
"  The  Friend,"  in  remembrance  of  Abraham.  Isaac 
soon  after  moved  with  his  flocks  a  little  way  to  the 
south,  to  the  well  of  Lahai-roi,  where  Hagar  rested  on 
her  first  dismissal ;  but  the  quiet  unadventurous  life  he 
led  may  be  judged  from  the  fact,  that  he  never  seems 
to  have  wandered  more  than  twenty-five  miles  in  any 
direction  from  his  subsequent  camping-place  at  Beer- 
sheba,  the  "  Well  of  the  Oath,"  where  he  was  born. 

In  a  life  protracted  like  that  of  Isaac,  periods  which 
now  comprise  our  whole   span  pass  as  only  acts  in  a 
long-continued  story.     Seventy  years  glided  away  from 
i  1  Chron.  i.  32.  «  Gen.  xxv.  5. 


ISAAC.  29 

the  birtli  of  his  two  sons  before  the  rupture  of  the  little 
household  by  the  flight  of  Jacob  to  Mesopotamia,  after 
his  ignoble  deception  of  both  father  and  brother  in  the 
matter  of  the  birthright.  Till  then,  the  only  troubles 
that  seem  to  have  befallen  the  prosperous  man  were 
disputes  with  the  Philistines  respecting  wells,  so  price- 
less in  the  dry  and  hot  hill  pastures  of  these  parts. 
Isaac  had  thriven  so  greatly  as  to  rouse  the  jealousy, 
and  perhaps  the  fears,  even  of  a  people  so  warlike,  for 
he  had  "become  very  great,'^  and  had  "great  store  of 
servants."  More  than  a  hundred  years  before,  his 
father  had  over  three  hundred  fighting  men,  born  in 
his  own  tents  ^ — that  is,  his  household  slaves — and  since 
then  they  must  have  increased  to  the  numbers  of  an 
army.  Isaac  had,  in  fact,  become  a  great  Sheik  or 
Emir,  and  might  well  treat  on  equal  terms  with  a  petty 
chief.  But  nothing  could  ruffle  the  placid  gentleness 
of  the  quiet  loving  man.  To  dig  a  well  through  the 
limestone  rock,  often  to  a  great  depth,  was  no  small 
undertaking,  but  meant,  it  might  be,  years  of  labour; 
yet,  rather  than  have  strife,  he  yields  again  and  again, 
and  giving  up  what  he  might  easily  have  retained,  goes 
farther  of,  till  he  is  left  in  peace. 

Esau's  marriages  with  the  daughters  of  the  idolatrous 
peoples  round  were  likely  a  greater  trouble  to  him  than 
the  feuds  of  his  neighbours  for  the  watering-places  of 
his  flocks.  He  could  put  an  end  to  these  by  sheer 
gentleness,  but  there  was  a  dark  foreboding  in  his  son's 
alliances,  which  must  have  cast  a  shadow  on  his  heart. 
He  loved  the  open,  ingenuous,  impulsive  nature  of  Esau, 
and  had  hoped  much  from  him,  as  perhaps  the  heir  of 
the  promise,  but  was  now   sadly   disappointed.     Then 

^  Gen.  xiv.  14,  "  trained  warriors."  See  Bertheau,  Gesch.  d, 
Israeliten,  vol.  ii.  p.  14. 


30  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

came  Jacob's  deceit  and  flighty  and  Esau's  bitter  grief 
at  tlie  loss  of  the  blessings  whicb  made  even  bis  fatber 
"  tremble  exceedingly_,"  in  sympathy  witb  bis  outraged 
son.  He  was  already  failing,  and  thought  his  death 
near  at  hand_,  and  this  family  trouble  must  have  told  on 
him  heavily.  Yet  he  lingered  on  for  more  than  forty 
years,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  them  without  Re- 
bekah,  for  she  died  while  her  favourite  son  was  an 
exile.  For  twenty  years^  however,  before  his  death, 
Jacob  was  once  more  near  him.  He  was  still  haunting 
the  long-familiar  spots  near  the  graves  of  his  father  and 
mother  at  Hebron  when  Jacob  returned,  and  there,  at 
last,  at  his  burial,  his  two  sons  for  a  time  forgot  their 
lifelong  bitterness,  and  laid  him  in  peace  beside  his 
wife  and  his  honoured  father  and  mother,  in  the  cave 
at  Mamre. 

Few  have  passed  a  long  life  as  uneventfully.  He 
never  knew  anything  but  wealthy  ease^  and  his  de- 
pendents were  numerous  enough  to  protect  him  in  the 
enjoyment  of  it  to  the  last.  His  position  brought  out 
no  strongly-marked  character,  but  it  sufficed  to  show 
how  a  quiet  and  modest  retirement  may  honour  God 
as  much  as  a  life  of  prominent  action.  The  guileless 
simplicity  which  lets  Jacob  overreach  him,  because  he 
could  not  disbelieve  a  son's  assurance;  the  tenderness 
which  lamented  his  mother  so  long,  and  bade  Esau  kiss 
him  as  he  came  near ;  the  patient  submission  with  which 
he  bears  trial,  which  none  can  escape ;  the  grand 
obedience  with  which  he  puts  even  his  life  at  his 
father's  disposal  ;  the  artless  purity  with  which  he 
keeps  to  Rebekah  alone^  as  his  one  wife,  in  an  age  of 
polygamy ;  the  majestic  strength  of  his  faith  in  the 
Divine  promises  given  to  his  race — a  faith  which  lights 
up  the  distant  future  as  he  blesses  Jacob ;  and  from 


ISAAC. 


31 


first  to  last,  his  lowly  and  unwavering  homage  to  the 
God  of  his  father,  make  it  easy  to  understand  why  even 
our  Lord's  authority  is  vouchsafed  for  his  having  passed 
from  earth  to  heaven  at  his  death.  He  had  failings,  no 
doubt,  though  only  few  are  told  us,  but  he  showed  us 
how  we  may  walk  before  God,  whatever  our  sphere, 
and  command  the  respect  of  our  fellow-men,  in  our  life 
and  death,  as  His  faithful  servants. 


EASThKX   WoMAJf    IN   FCLI.    DlU.b3. 


ISHMAEL. 

THE  uncliangiiig  life  of  the  East  is  nowhere  more 
vividly  seen  than  in  the  completeness  with  which 
the  incidents  of  the  patriarchal  age  are  reproduced  to- 
day in  the  tents  of  the  wandering  tribes  of  the  desert — 
their  successors  in  the  simple  conditions  of  society  that 
have  always  characterized  these  regions. 

Ten  years  had  passed  since  Abraham's  arrival  in 
Palestine.  It  was  then,  apparently,  open  and  almost 
unsettled,  except  in  the  few  spots  on  the  sea-coast  and 
in  the  interior,  where  the  Canaanites  had  begun 
scattered  towns,  and  in  the  rich  though  small  "  circle '' 
of  Jericho,  where  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  their  chief 
communities,  flourished  in  the  subtropical  valley  of  the 
lower  Jordan.  The  Divine  promise  to  the  patriarch, 
that  his  descendants  should  possess  the  whole  country, 
had  been  repeated  more  than  once,  and  yet  he  remained 
childless.  He  had  no  human  prospect  of  an  heir,  except 
by  adopting  some  child  of  one  of  his  slaves.^  It  was 
hard,  indeed,  to  believe  even  renewed  assurances  of 
his  having  a  posterity  countless  as  the  stars  of  heaven; 
and  that  he  should  still  have  trusted  in  God's  word, 
under  such  circumstances,  may  well  have  been  "counted 
to  him  for  righteousness." 

>  Gen.  XV.  2. 


ISHMAEL.  33 

But  wliile  he  believed  tliat  a  cliild  would  be  given 
him,  both  he  and  Sarah,  as  time  rolled  on,  fancied  more 
and  more  it  must  have  been  meant  that  it  should  be  so 
by  a  second  marriage.  It  was  then  the  custom,  as  it  is 
still,  in  similar  cases,  for  a  childless  wife  to  give  one  of 
her  female  slaves  to  her  husband,  and  to  adopt  as  her 
own  a  son  thus  born.  There  seemed  no  other  way  in 
which  the  promise  could  be  fulfilled,  and  Hagar,  an 
Egyptian  slave  of  Sarah,  was  accordingly  given  by  her 
to  Abraham  as  his  concubine,  or  wife  of  an  inferior  grade. 

Like  all  impulsive  natures,  however,  Sarah  soon 
repented  of  what  she  had  for  a  time  so  zealously  pro- 
moted. Vain  in  the  prospect  of  being  the  mother  of  an 
heir  to  the  great  Abraham,  Hagar,  poor  simple  woman 
as  she  was,  presently  bore  herself  haughtily  to  her 
mistress.  From  a  slave,  she  saw  herself  destined  to 
supplant  Sarah,  and  be  the  great  personage  of  the  en- 
campment, in  her  place.  Her  head  was  dizzy,  in  fact, 
by  her  elevation.  But  she  was  soon  to  feel  that  she 
had  ventured  to  brave  a  jealous  and  imperious  woman. 
By  her  marriage,  she  was  no  longer  in  Sarah^s  power, 
but  the  offended  wife  demanded  that  Abraham  himself 
should  punish  her  for  her  airs  of  superiority,  and  he,  in 
accordance  with  Eastern  customs,  was  only  too  glad  to 
hand  her  back  to  Sarah  again,  to  '^  do  to  her  as  she 
pleased."  Once  more  in  her  power,  her  jealousy  and 
wounded  pride  knew  no  limits  to  their  harshness,  till  at 
last  the  poor  girl,  "  afflicted "  beyond  endurance,  fled 
into  the  desert,  helpless  as  she  was,  to  escape  from  her 
tormentor,  and  only  returned  in  obedience  to  an  in- 
timation, conveyed  apparently  in  a  dream  or  vision, 
that  she  should  do  so,  and  would  bear  a  son,  the  future 
father  of  a  countless  multitude.^ 

'  Gen.  xvi.  10. 


34  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

The  cliild  born  under  sucli  circumstances  must  have 
drunk  in^  with,  his  earliest  lessons  from  his  mother_,  a 
bitter  hatred  of  her  by  whom  she  had  been  so  cruelly 
treated.  His  very  name,  as  he  came  to  understand  it, — 
Ishmael,  ^^  Grod  has  heard," — would,  in  such  an  age,  give 
him  vague  aspirations  and  hopes,  and  these  would  be 
daily  strengthened  by  circumstances.  The  only  child  of 
Abraham,  who  was  now  eighty-six  years  of  age,  he  grew 
up  his  father's  pride  and  delight,  and  was,  doubtless,  re- 
garded as  the  future  sheik  by  all  the  members  of  the 
encampment,  and,  as  such,  flattered  and  caressed  by  old 
and  young.  He  was  a  growing  boy  of  fourteen  when 
all  these  dreams  and  expectations  were  dissipated  by 
the  birth  of  Isaac,  who,  as  the  son  of  Sarah,  at  once 
became  the  young  heir,  and  left  Ishmael  no  position, 
except  what  his  father's  special  bounty  might  grant 
him. 

Mother  and  son  must  have  been  equally  aggrieved  by 
this  change  in  their  fortunes,  for  Hagar  had,  no  doubt, 
been  treated  with  marked  consideration  as  Ishmael's 
mother,  so  long  as  there  was  no  other  child.  Sarah  had 
been  powerless  to  injure  either  her  or  her  son  while  she 
had  none  of  her  own,  and  perhaps  had  quietly  submitted 
to  their  taking  the  place  they  did,  as  an  unavoidable 
misfortune.  But  from  the  moment  of  Isaac's  birth  all 
was  changed.  Her  jealousy  saw  in  Ishmael  a  possible 
rival  to  her  son,  or,  at  least,  a  joint  heir,^  and  she  would 
brook  no  partner  with  him  in  his  father's  affections. 
Hagar  and  her  son,  embittered  on  this  ground  as  well 
as  by  the  conscious  loss  of  rank  already  felt,  doubtless 
fed  her  aversion  by  angry  resentment  and  provocations, 
and  the  situation  Avould  each  day  become  more  painful. 
The  feast  made  at  Isaac's  weaning  at  last  brought 
»  Gen.  xxi.  10. 


ISHMAEL.  35 

matters  to  a  crisis.  The  taunts  and  rudeness  of  Ishmael, 
now  a  lad  of  sixteen  or  seventeen,  were  insupportable  to 
Sarali.  Presuming  on  tlie  love  so  strongly  shown  him 
by  his  father,  the  son  of  the  slave  bore  himself  as  if  he 
were  to  be  heir,  and  ridiculed  Sarah's  infant  as  standing 
only  second.  Like  a  boy,  he  forgot  that  a  son  followed 
a  mother's  condition,  and  that,  as  Hagar's  child,  he 
was  only  Abraham's  slave,  while  Isaac,  as  the  son  of 
a  free  mother,  was  the  legitimate  heir,  however  late 
his  birth. 

It  was  a  great  mistake,  and  was  bitterly  avenged. 
Sarah  had  once  before  driven  Hagar  away  by  her  harsh 
treatment.  She  now  resolved  that  both  she  and  her 
son  should  be  formally  sent  off,  never  to  return^  that  the 
field  might  be  left  clear  for  her  own  child.  It  was  a 
sore  trial  to  Abraham,  for  he  loved  the  boy,^  but  he 
felt,  as  he  reflected,  that  Sarah's  demand  was  only 
the  unconscious  leading  of  a  higher  will.  Forthwith^ 
therefore,  both  were  dismissed,  to  join  some  other  en- 
campment in  the  desert  pastures  around.  Sarah's 
hostility  made  their  ejection  more  than  commonly 
harsh,  for,  instead  of  being  sent  away  with  gifts  of 
herds  and  flocks,  as  the  sons  of  Keturah  were,  when 
Sarah  was  no  longer  alive,  Hagar  and  Ishmael  had 
nothing  given  them  but  a  skin  of  water  and  some 
bread. 

It  was  very  hard,  under  any  provocation,  to  cast  off 
a  son  in  such  a  way,  and  almost  harder  to  dismiss  his 
mother,  though  she  had  been  a  slave.  As  it  happened, 
accident  made  it  still  harder,  for  they  failed  to  meet 
another  encampment  before  their  bread  and  water  were 
spent,  and  the  growing  lad,  fainting  with  hunger,  ex- 
haustion, and  thirst,  would  have  died  but  for  the 
^  Geu.  xvii.  18 ;  xxi.  11, 


36  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

fortunate,  or  rather  specially  providential,  discovery  of 
a  well.  Eoused  to  new  life,  tlie  two,  after  further 
weary  wanderings,  at  last  reached  some  friendly  tents^ 
and  there  found  a  new  home.  But  the  remembrance  of 
his  mother's  ill-treatment,  as  he  must  have  deemed  it, 
and  of  his  own,  had  sunk  into  Ishmael's  soul.  In- 
dignant at  the  insult  to  her,  and  at  his  own  wrongs,  he 
henceforth  cast  off  all  relations  with  his  father's  tribe, 
and  became  embittered  and  lawless  towards  men  at 
large. 

The  country  in  which  Ishmael  found  himself  was  the 
southern  portion  of  *  the  uplands  of  the  Negeb,  now 
known  as  the  wilderness  of  Et  Tih,  but  he  seems  to 
have  finally  wandered  to  a  part  of  the  peninsula  of 
Sinai,  known  then  as  the  wilderness  of  Paran,^  separated 
from  Egypt  only  by  a  narrow  arm  of  the  Red  Sea. 
Whatever  he  might  have  been  under  other  circum- 
stances, his  expulsion  from  his  father's  tents  forced  him 
to  become  a  wandering  Arab,  and  the  desert  reacted  to 
mould  his  tastes  to  his  new  position.  The  wild  freedom 
of  such  a  life  became  a  passion :  necessity  forced  him 
to  rely  on  his  spear  and  bow  to  secure  his  food  by  the 
chase,  and  to  defend  himself  from  man  or  beast,  while 
a  dull  sense  of  wrong  made  him  keep  aloof  from  all, 
except  when  he  swept  down  on  them  for  plunder.  It 
must  have  been  a  bitter  trial  to  pass  from  the  privileges 
of  Abraham's  tent,  and  the  honour  and  luxury  of  his 
wide  encampment,  to  snatch  a  poor  subsistence  from 
the  slender  resources  of  the  wilderness. 

The  simple  shepherd-life  of  his  father  was,  however, 

open  to  him,  and  ere  long  was,  in  part  at  least,  adopted, 

for  we  find  the  Hazeroth,  or  circles  formed  by  the  tents 

of  an  encampment  round  its  flocks,  among  the  charac- 

»  Gen.  xsi.  21. 


ISHMAEL.  37 

teristics  of  his  family.^  But  his  training  and  disposition 
unfitted  liim  for  tlie  tame  and  unexciting  life  of  a  mere 
shepherd.  In  his  boyhood  and  early  youth  he  had  been 
the  darling  of  the  great  Abraham^  and  had  grown  im- 
patient of  restraint,  and  overbearing,  from  the  flattery 
shown  him  as  the  heir-apparent  of  a  desert  prince.  He 
could  never  have  dreamed  of  any  other  than  an  easy, 
dignified  life,  in  which  he  might  enjoy  himself  without 
a  care  as  the  head  of  a  tribe.  High-spirited,  and  fond 
of  listening,  at  the  watch-fires  of  his  father's  herdsmen, 
to  their  stories  of  encounters  and  feuds  with  hostile 
neighbours  at  the  wells,  or  with  the  freebooters  of  the 
desert,  he  had  early  given  his  whole  heart  to  the  ex- 
citement of  border  life  on  the  wild  wastes.  The  chase 
of  the  gazelle  or  the  wild-goat,  and  the  more  dangerous 
pursuit  of  the  bear  or  the  leopard,  had  inured  him  to 
exertion  and  wild  adventure,  and  the  tastes  of  his  youth 
clung  to  him  through  life.  If  he  could  not  gratify  them 
now  as  the  son  of  a  great  emir,  he  would  do  so  as  the 
head  of  a  tribe  of  his  own,  and  would  outrival  the  bands 
who  had  of  old  so  often  harried  the  folds  of  Abraham. 
His  emblem  would  be  the  wild  ass-  of  the  desert,  which 
no  man  can  tame,  with  its  home  in  the  pathless  wilder- 
ness. He  would  live  in  wild  freedom,  afar  from  the 
hated  communities  of  those  who  had  banished  him  from 
their  midst. 

Of  the  future  history  of  Ishmael  we  know  very  little. 
To  separate  him  finally  and  completely  from  Abraham 
and  his  race,  Hagar  soug^ht  out  for  him  an  Egyptian 
wife;  a  countrywoman,  therefore,  of  her  own.     As  the 

^  Gen.  XXV.  16.  "Hazeroth"  is  translated  "towns"  in  our  version, 
but  wrongly.  Town  or  rather  "  toun  "  is  still,  however,  in  Scot- 
land, only  a  solitary  farm-honse. 

2  Gen.  xvi.  12,  the  angel  says  he  will  be  a  "  wild-ass  man." 


38  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

son  of  Abraliam  lie  would  doubtless  be  received  with. 
consideration  by  tlie  tribe  lie  joined^,  and  very  soon  find 
himself  at  the  head  of  retainers  of  his  own.  Tradition 
speaks  of  his  having  married  the  daughter  of  the  sheik 
of  his  new  encampment,  and  this  itself  would  give  him 
position.  The  desert  on  which  he  roamed  was  already 
the  home  of  many  bands  of  nomads/  and  with  some 
of  these  he  would  form  alliances. 

We  have  a  glimpse  of  him  at  the  burial  of  his 
father.  He  was  now  a  man  of  nearly  ninety,  and  had 
long  been  a  great  desert  chief.  It  must  have  been  a 
striking  scene  as  the  two  brothers,  so  strangely  sepa- 
rated in  life,  met  in  peace,  for  the  moment,  at  the  grave 
of  one  whom  even  the  outcast  still  loved.  Isaac  with 
his  hundreds  of  household  slaves,  and  Ishmael  with  his 
troops  of  wild  retainers  and  half-savage  allies,  in  all  the 
state  of  a  Bedouin  prince,  gathered  before  the  cave  of 
Machpelah,  to  do  honour  to  the  Father  of  the  Faithful, 
would  make  a  striking  subject  for  the  artist. 

Twelve  sons  and  a  daughter  secured  the  future  great- 
ness of  Ishmael's  descendants.  Among'  these  the  best 
known  were  the  Nabathasans,  who,  four  centuries  before 
Christ,  made  Petra  the  strange  capital  of  a  wide 
dominion;  and  the  Itureans,  who,  hereafter,  were  to 
dispute  with  Moses,  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  for  the 
possession  of  the  Hauran.  A  strange  fate  linked  the 
fortunes  of  Esau,  the  outcast  of  Isaac's  household,  with 
those  of  Ishmael,  by  the  marriage  of  the  future  father 
of  the  Edomites  with  his  daughter.  Ishmael  was  then 
an  old  man  of  a  hundred  and  fourteen,  thoug-h  he  lived 
twenty- three  years  more.  But  we  hear  nothing  further 
of  him  than  that,  at  last,  he  died  ''  in  the  presence  of  all 
his  brethren/'  or,  rather,  as  Eosenmiiller  and  others 
1  Gen.  X.  25-30. 


ISHMiVEL. 


39 


understand  it,  farther  east — that  is,  away  towards 
Assyria — than  any  of  the  races  that  sprang  from  the 
same  stock. 

The  notices  of  Ishmael  in  Scripture  are  remarkable 
for  the  singular  exactness  with  which  the  characteristics 
of  his  descendants,  the  Arab  race,  are  foretold.  The 
words  of  Genesis,  **He  will  be  a  wild-ass  man  ;  his  hand 
will  be  against  every  man  and  CYcry  man's  hand  against 
him,"  have  been  vividly  true  in  every  age.  The  de- 
scription of  them  in  the  fourth  century,  by  Ammianus 
Marcellinus,  is  applicable  to  them  still,  as  it  doubtless 
was  in  the  ages  before  it  was  written.  "  No  one  of 
them  ever  lays  hold  of  a  plough,  or  plants  a  tree,  or 
seeks  food  from  tilling  the  soil.  They  wander  continu- 
ally, roaming  through  wide  tracts,  without  a  home, 
without  fixed  dwellings,  without  laws.  Nor  do  they 
ever  stay  long  under  the  same  sky,  or  rest  satisfied 
long  with  any  district.  Their  life  is  spent  in  constant 
movement." 


Co'jKTiira  THE  Siiiis  Bi'  THEiE  CcT-oFP  Hands. — A  procticB  coijimon  in  AjuHent 
Eastern  nations. 


JACOB. 

IT  is  well  for  us  tliat  wliile  "  man  looks  on  tte  outward 
appearance^  the  Lord  looks  on  tlie  iieart/^  Tried 
by  superficial  tests^  mere  outward  qualities  attract  tlie 
eye^  wliile  solid  worth  is  overlooked  under  an  uninviting 
exterior.  The  showy  tinsel  pleases  at  first  glance,  more 
than  the  dull  and  clouded  gold,  but,  in  time,  the  one  is 
evidently  worthless,  while  the  other  grows  brighter  the 
more  it  is  worn.  The  diamond,  when  first  held  aloft,  in 
his  joy,  by  the  slave  who  has  found  it,  seems  only  a 
common  stone,  but  when  cleansed  from  the  stains  of  the 
soil,  and  cut  by  the  skill  of  the  artist,  it  will  shine  like 
the  morning  star. 

To  no  character  in  the  roll  of  Scripture  worthies  does 
this  more  strikingly  apply  than  to  Jacob.  Constitutional 
bias  and  the  temptations  of  circumstances  developed 
those  more  uninviting  qualities  in  his  earlier  life  which 
raise  a  natural  prejudice  that  is  apt  to  hide  the  nobler 
picture  he  offered  when  these  morning  mists  had  passed 
away.  That  they  did  then  yield  to  higher  principle, 
commands  the  admiration  with  which  we  regard  true 
worth  which  has  successfully  struggled  against  weak- 
ness and  temptation.  He  could  have  been  no  common 
man  who  began  his  career  as  the  ^'  Supplanter,^^  ^  but 

^  "  Jacob  "  comes  from  the  verb  Yaka,b — to  catch  by  the  heel ; 
then  to  trip  up,  to  circumYent,  to  deceive  and  outwit. 

40 


JACOB.  41 

ended  it  as  ''a,  Prince  of  God."  He  could  not  have 
wanted  commanding  qualities,  whose  name,  like  that  of 
his  father  and  grandfather,  was  henceforth  so  sacred, 
that  no  one  of  his  nation  in  Old  Testament  times  ever 
assumed  it ;  so  sacred  indeed,  that  even  now,  after  well 
nigh  four  thousand  years,  the  Jew,  wherever  found, 
knows  no  higher  honour  than  to  call  himself  a  '^  Son  of 
Israel." 

The  parents  of  Jacob  offered  a  striking  contrast  in 
disposition  and  characteristics.  In  Isaac,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  we  find  a  quiet,  retiring  man,  indisposed 
to  action  or  excitement;  so  simple  and  pure  in  his 
habits,  that  he  and  Eebekah  have  in  all  ages  been  the 
ideal  of  married  life  to  the  Jewish  world ;  a  "  plain 
man,"  like  his  son  Jacob,  and  contented,  like  him,  to 
pass  his  life  as  a  wandering  shepherd — the  only  world  for 
which  he  cared,  the  modest  encampment  of  his  household 
and  dependents.  In  Rebekah,  on  the  other  hand,  with 
all  her  conjugal  virtues,  we  see  a  dash  of  her  brother 
Laban's  meanness  of  nature  and  disingenuous  finesse, 
which  Jacob  only  too  readily  and  faithfully  reproduced. 
She  is  strong-minded  and  resolute,  in  contrast  to  Isaac's 
almost  feminine  gentleness,  and  prone  to  a  duplicity  of 
which  his  frank  unsuspicion  was  the  ready  conquest. 

The  stillness  and  seclusion  of  the  desert  pastures  of 
Southern  Palestine,  in  which  his  earlier  life  was  spent, 
were  fitted  to  develop  the  nobler  side  of  Jacob's  nature, 
but  for  the  presence  of  untoward  influences  in  the  nar- 
row circle  of  his  home.  There  was  only  another  child 
in  the  family — his  twin-brother  Esau — but  their  dis- 
position and  tastes  were  wholly  opposed,  and  must  have 
made  loving  companionship  well  nigh  impossible  from 
the  first.  As  they  grew  older,  unwise  partiality  in  the 
parents  widened  the  natural  distance  between  the  youths. 


42  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

We  often  admire  in  others  the  qualities  which  we  miss 
in  ourselves — and  thus  the  quiet  Isaac  delighted  specially 
in  the  spirited,  adventurous  Esau ;  while  Rebekah,  firm 
and  resolved,  turned  lovingly  to  the  peaceful  Jacob,  as 
if  to  compensate  the  want  of  warmth  on  the  part  of  his 
father  by  so  much  the  more  on  her  own. 

In  all  Arab  families  supreme  importance  attaches  it- 
self to  seniority.  The  eldest  son  is  the  future  head  of 
the  family  or  tribe,  and  inherits  a  double  portion  of  his 
father's  property.  But  in  the  households  of  the  patri- 
archs, he  was,  besides,  the  natural  successor  in  the 
family  priesthood,  and,  above  all,  in  the  inheritance  of 
the  mysterious  promise  of  future  greatness,  first  given 
to  Abraham,  as  the  "  Called  of  God."  With  all  her 
weaknesses,  Rebekah  shared  the  simple  religious  faith 
of  Isaac,  with  a  far  keener  natural  penetration  into  the 
best  means  for  its  transmission  to  the  future.  Esau 
ostentatiously  slighted  the  higher  aspects  of  his  position 
as  the  elder-born ;  had  no  interest  in  the  family  priest- 
hood, and  still  less  in  the  vague  hopes  inspired  by  the 
heavenly  promise.  He  was  the  heir,  but  he  was  certain 
to  let  all  that  was  most  precious  in  the  inheritance  be 
lost.  It  would  be  safe  in  the  hands  of  Jacob ;  for  was 
he  not  just  such  a  man — quiet,  industrious,  and  thought- 
ful— as  his  father  ?  If  the  direct  succession  to  Isaac 
was  forfeited,  with  the  loss  of  the  birthright,  it  need  not 
involve  any  material  loss,  for  Esau  could  still  get  what 
pastoral  wealth  he  otherwise  would  have  had.  Jacob 
valued  supremely  the  advantages  his  brother  despised ; 
and  saw  in  the  blessings  of  elder  birth,  the  religious 
rather  than  the  worldly  benefits,  as  is  evident  in  the 
sequel. 

As  in  many  an  instance  since,  mother  and  son,  ponder- 
ing thuSj  acted  on  the  principle  of  doing  evil  that  good 


JACOB.  43 

miglit  come,  and  repeated  tlie  same  crooked  course 
when  the  blessing  of  Isaac  was  needed  to  secure  the 
advantages  already  gained  from  Esau  by  a  cold  and 
heartless  bargain.  Jacob  takes  advantage  of  Esau, 
when  tired  and  faint,  to  get  from  him  his  birthright  for 
a  meal,  which  natural  duty  should  have  offered  freely 
of  its  own  accord.  An  apt  pupil  of  his  mother,  he  over- 
reaches both  his  father  and  brother  to  gain  the  blessing, 
and  even  stoops  to  fraud  and  open  lying  to  effect  his  end. 

But  if  he  sinned,  he  was  sorely  punished.  If  he  had 
expected  worldly  advantages,  he  was  soon  undeceived, 
for  he  lost  all,  and  had  to  flee  for  his  life,  and  remain  a 
servant,  in  remote  exile,  for  over  twenty  years.  Still 
worse,  he  had  to  leave  his  mother,  so  dear  to  him,  and 
never  see  her  again. 

Yet  even  in  the  moment  of  his  flight,  the  strange 
mixture  of  good  in  the  evil  of  his  nature  showed  itself. 
"We  dream  of  that  which  has  occupied  our  thoughts 
when  awake  ;  and  Jacobus  dream,  as  he  lay  the  first  night 
on  the  stony  uplands  of  Central  Palestine,  amidst  wide 
sheets  of  bare  rock,  and  slopes  strewn  with  loose  stones, 
was,  that  he  saw  the  heavens  open,  and  a  vast  staircase 
form  itself  between  them  and  earth,  on  which  angels 
came  and  went,  while  the  Divine  voice,  from  the  splen- 
dours in  which  the  vision  melted  away  above,  sounded 
in  his  ears,  assuring  him  that  he  was  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  God  of  Abraham  and  Isaac,  and  would  one 
day  return  to  the  land  of  the  promises  in  peace.  What 
could  have  turned  his  sleeping  fancies  to  such  channels, 
but  that  his  waking  heart  had  been  filled  with  worthy 
thoughts ;  he  had  acted  wrongly,  and  he  knew  it ;  but 
he  had  left  Esau  his  father's  wealth,  for  which  alone, 
after  all,  his  brother  cared  ^  and  carried  with  him  only 
*  Genesis  xxxvi.  6. 


44  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

the  mysterious  hope  in  the  promise  of  Grod.  He  was 
humbled  already,  else  God  would  never  have  revealed 
Himself  to  him  as  He  did.  The  vision  he  saw  was  a 
pledge  of  the  heavenly  favour  he  had  prized  beyond  all 
things,  and  a  help  to  his  faith  in  the  trials  that  lay 
before  him. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  religious  ideas  of 
patriarchal  times  were  very  simple  and  imperfect. 
Jacob  laments  that,  even  at  Luz,  a  day's  journey  from 
his  father's  tent,  he  has  left  God  behind  him,  and  ex- 
presses his  wonder  at  the  vision,  when  he  wakes,  as 
showing  that  the  Divine  Being  was  here  also,  though  he 
'^  knew  it  not."  He  had  thought  of  Him  only  as  the 
God  of  a  special  locality — that  in  which  the  tents  of  his 
father  were  for  the  time  pitched. 

Kebekah  had  won  over  Isaac  to  send  him  away  to 
Mesopotamia,  to  repeat,  in  his  own  case,  the  choice  made 
for  his  father,  by  Abraham,  of  a  wife  from  the  daughters 
of  the  family  stock,  rather  than  from  the  idolatrous 
maidens  of  Canaan.  The  errand  was  worthy,  though 
only  a  pretext  to  cover  a  necessary  flight.  But  the 
sequel  brought  out  all  that  was  best  in  the  wanderer's 
nature.  Lonely  and  poor,  he  reaches  his  uncle's 
country — his  staff  his  only  wealth — and  meets  at  the 
well  a  cousin,  fair  and  kindly,  the  first  of  his  kindred 
he  had  seen  in  a  strange  land.  Soft  and  tender  in  the 
remembrance  of  home,  his  heart  could  restrain  itself  no 
longer,  and  he  "  kissed  Rachel,  and  lifted  up  his  voice 
and  wept."  Is  it  any  wonder  that  he  loved  her  hence- 
forth with  a  deep  and  beautiful  devotion  ? 

Twenty-one  years  passed  away  in  the  service  of 
Laban,  now  sheik,  in  succession  to  his  father,  Bethuel 
— a  grasping,  hard-hearted  man,  of  whom  the  Rabbis 
fable    that    he    worshipped,  as   an  "image/'  the  head 


JACOB.  45 

of  a  man — a  first-born,  wliom  lie  had  slain.  Tlie 
whole  long  period  is  a  struggle  of  selfish  cunning  and 
greed  on  the  part  of  Laban,  met  by  firm  resolution, 
exhaustless  patience,  and  a  fertility  of  crafty  resource 
on  that  of  Jacob.  Three  times  over  he  pays  the  service 
of  seven  years.  To  gain  Rachel,  he  willingly  toils  for 
fourteen  ;  and  in  seven  years  more  he  has  won  a  rich 
possession  in  flocks  and  herds.  But  through  all  his 
steadfast  purpose  to  gain  his  ends,  he  shows  a  noble 
and  fixed  principle  of  honest  duty  that  commands  our 
admiration.  Under  every  temptation  to  play  the  mere 
hireling,  he  could  say  in  the  end,  that  he  had  borne  the 
loss  of  that  which  was  torn  of  beasts  ;  had  made  good  all 
that  might  have  been  stolen  by  day  or  night ;  and  that 
he  had  watched  his  uncle's  flock  so  faithfully  that  in 
the  day  the  heat  consumed  him,  and  the  frost  in  the 
cold  nights  of  the  desert,  till  his  sleep  had  departed 
from  him. 

Returning  at  last  to  Canaan,  the  shadow  of  his  past 
sins  still  lies  upon  his  conscience.  He  fears  that  Esau 
will  avenge  his  old  wrongs  on  him  when  they  meet. 
He  is  a  very  different  man  since  he  crossed  the  Jordan, 
but  the  entrance  on  the  land  of  promise  again  over- 
powers him  with  emotion.  On  the  east  side  of  the 
sacred  river  a  mysterious  crisis  passes  in  his  soul.  In 
the  visions  of  the  night  he  wrestles  with  One  who  con- 
ceals His  name,  and  vanishes  as  the  day  is  breaking. 
In  the  words  of  Hosea,  '^  he  wept  and  made  supplica- 
tion, and  had  power  over  the  angel  and  prevailed." 
He  cannot  let  the  heavenly  visitant  go  till  he  leaves  his 
blessing,  but  agonizes  in  prayer,  humble,  contrite,  faith- 
ful, till  the  cloud  passes,  and  with  the  break  of  morn- 
ing the  light  rises  in  his  soul,  never  again  to  go  down. 

Glimpses  of  the  higher  and  purified  nature  of  the 


46  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

patriarch  show  themselves  from  time  to  time  through 
his  whole  life  after  his  first  flight  from  Esau.  The 
fourteen  years  he  serves  for  Rachel  seem  only  a  few 
days  for  the  love  he  bears  her.  His  steady  principle 
returns  good  for  evil  to  Laban^  notwithstanding  every 
provocation.  At  every  turn  he  lifts  up  his  thoughts  to 
the  God  of  his  fathers.  Rebekah's  nurse  had  come  back 
to  him  after  the  death  of  her  mistress,  and  finds  a  home 
with  him  henceforth,  till,  at  last,  he  buries  her,  at  her 
death,  with  so  true  a  grief,  that  the  oak  at  Bethel, 
beneath  which  he  laid  her,  was  long  known  as  the  Oak 
of  Weeping.  When  Rachel  died,  he  raised  over  her 
grave  at  Bethlehem  a  memorial-stone,  still  to  be  seen 
in  the  mosque  built  on  the  spot ;  and  his  affection  for 
Joseph  and  Benjamin,  her  children,  is  one  of  the  most 
touching  passages  in  the  story  of  his  life. 

At  Bethel,  in  his  early  flight,  he  had  no  higher  ideas 
of  religious  things  than  to  make  a  kind  of  covenant 
with  God,  promising  to  serve  Him  on  certain  conditions. 
But  all  was  altered  when  he  returned,  humbled  and 
purified.  His  only  thought  then  was  that  "he  was  not 
worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the 
truth,  which  God  had  shown  unto  His  servant." 

That  Jacob's  early  life  shows  some  sordid,  unworthy 
aspects,  is  undeniable,  but  his  later  life  shows  the  fine 
gold  purified  in  the  refiner's  fire.  Patient  endurance, 
splendid  tenacity  ;  unwavering  faith  in  the  unseen ;  the 
deliberate  preference  of  a  greater  future  to  any  inferior 
present ;  honest  industry  ;  fidelity  to  his  convictions  of 
truth  and  duty,  and  lofty  homage  to  the  God  of  his 
fathers,  have  made  his  character  an  immortal  lesson. 


LEAH  AND  R  AC  BEL. 


THE  charming  idyll  of  Jacob's  first  meeting  with 
Rachel  sheds  an  abiding  tenderness  over  the 
narrative  of  the  patriarch's  arrival  in  the  country  of 
his  fathers.  Foot-sore,  home-sick,  and  heavy-hearted ; 
with  an  uncertain  future,  in  which  he  must  begin  life 
again  from  the  deepest  poverty,  and  with  the  galling 
remembrance  of  the  easy  comfort  and  high  position  of 
his  earlier  years,  in  the  tents  of  a  rich  sheik  like  his 
father  Isaac — there  was  everything  to  depress  him.  He 
had  "lifted  his  feet,"  as  the  Hebrew  phrases  it,  for 
more  than  five  hundred  miles,  from  the  uplands  of 
Hebron  to  the  ^^  plain  of  Syria,"  ^  where  the  rich  steppes, 
from  which  Abraham  had  been  called  away  by  God, 
stretch  out  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  of  Armenia ; 
he  had  toiled  northwards,  through  Palestine  to  Damas- 
cus; had  kept  on,  under  the  shadow  of  the  Lebanon 
range,  to  Hamatli,  and  had  only  turned  to  the  east 
when  he  reached  the  wild  country  where  the  moun- 
tains of  Asia  Minor  trend  on  into  Asia,  to  form  the 
background  of  the  landscapes  he  longed  to  gain — the 
land  of  "  the  sons  of  the  east " — the  pastoral  tribes  of 
the  Syrian  desert  and  of  Mesopotamia.  Presently,  all 
is  changed.  He  is  once  more  among  scenes  like  those 
*  "  Padan  Aram  "  means  "  the  plain  of  Syria." 

47 


48  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

lie  has  left ;  flocks  lying  round  a  well,  prized  there  as 
much  as  at  Beersheba;  the  shepherds  resting  idly 
round,  on  the  pretext  that  they  were  waiting  till  the 
right  hour  to  water  the  sheep.  They  know  Laban  his 
uncle,  and,  still  better,  tell  him  that  Rachel,  his 
daughter,  will  be  among  them  presently,  with  her 
father's  flock,  of  which  she  herself  was  shepherdess,  as 
is  still  usual  with  the  daughters  of  the  richest  emirs. 
Presently  a  girl  of  beautiful  figure  and  as  beautiful 
features,^  comes  slowly  before  her  sheep,  over  the 
steppe,  and  approaches  the  common  centre.  Jacob  had 
never  seen  so  fair  a  vision,  and  it  was  that  of  his  cousin, 
the  first  of  his  own  blood  he  had  met  in  a  strange,  far- 
away land.  New  life  flushed  his  veins,  for  not  only 
relationship,  but  love,  quickened  his  heart  in  a  moment. 
The  men  around  might  squat  in  the  shade  or  in  the  sun ; 
he  was  instantly  at  her  service.  The  stone  on  the  welFs 
mouth,  which  they  would  not  help  to  push  aside  till  even- 
ing had  gathered  all  the  flocks,  was  rolled  off  by  himself 
alone,  and  water  drawn  by  him  for  the  maiden's  flock, 
while  she  still  stood  by,  wondering  whom  it  could  be 
who  showed  her  such  courtesy.  His  task  over,  Jacob's 
full  heart  at  last  overflowed,  and  "he  kissed  Rachel, 
and  lifted  up  his  voice  and  wept,"  and  told  her  he  was 
her  father's  nephew  and  her  aunt  Rebekah's  son.  It 
was  quite  certain,  after  such  an  introduction,  that  he 
would  receive  a  hearty  welcome,  for  Laban,  with  his 
hard,  grasping  turn,  would  not  fail  to  notice  that  his 
nephew  had  not  only  sentiment,  but  energy  and  diligence 
in  his  work  to  recommend  him.     The  others  had  ended 

^  Gen.  xxix.  17.  The  Septuagint  renders  it  thus.  Rosenmiiller 
shows  that  Rachel's  employment  is  still  a  usual  one  with  the 
daughters  of  sheiks  and  emirs.  See  Shaw's  Travels  in  Barbaryf 
etc.,  vol.  i.  p.  432. 


LEAH  AND  EACHEL.  49 

their  day's  labour  while  the  sun  was  still  high,^  but  he 
had  not,  like  them,  waited  idle  till  evening,  but  had 
watered  the  flock,  and  sent  them  once  more  afield,  to 
profit  by  some  additional  hours  of  pasture. 

Seven  years'  service — the  price,  in  Arab  fashion,  of 
Rachel's  hand — passed  over  Jacob  like  a  few  days ; 
beguiled  from  weariness,  as  it  was,  by  the  society  of  his 
betrothed.  Then  came  the  wretched  fraud  which  made 
him  the  husband  of  one  for  whom  he  did  not  care,  and 
wrung  from  him  seven  years'  labour  more  for  her  who 
was  already  his  by  right.  It  was  easy  to  over-reach 
him  as  Laban  did,  for  brides  were  led  into  the  nuptial 
chamber  veiled,  and  a  husband  did  not  see  his  wife's 
face  till  the  day  after  marriage.  The  plea  was  ready 
that  it  was  not  the  custom  in  Haran  to  wed  the  younger 
daughter  before  the  firstborn;  an  excuse  very  likely 
true  in  fact,  though  suppressed  till  then  by  fraud ;  for 
even  in  the  Egypt  of  to-day  a  father  sometimes  hesitates 
to  let  a  younger  daughter  marry  before  her  elder  sister,^ 
and  the  rule  was  still  more  general  in  the  East  in  early 
ages.  Jacob  had  not,  however,  to  wait  another  seven 
years  for  Rachel ;  it  was  enough  that  he  promised  the 
service,  and  thus  the  same  seven  days'  feast  was  made 
to  do  for  a  double  marriage.  He  had  the  two  sisters 
for  wives  at  the  end  of  it,  instead  of  only  the  younger.^ 

*  Gen.  xxix.  7. 

2  Lane's  Modern  Egyptians,  vol.  i.  p.  269. 

^  It  is  not  easy  to  understand  whether  Jacob  had  to  wait  any 
time  for  either  Leah  or  Rachel,  or  whether  he  got  them  both  at 
once,  and  served  for  them  two  terms  of  seven  years  after  the 
double  marriage.  Certainly  it  appears  as  if  he  waited  seven 
years  before  getting  Leah  instead  of  Rachel ;  but  against  this  it 
is  to  be  remembered  that  he  was  only  twenty  years  in  all  (xxxi. 
41)  with  Laban ;  and  that  Dinah,  who  was  Leah's  seventh  child — 
born  after  an  interval  in  which  Zilpah,  her  maid,  had  had  two 

1i 


50  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Of  the  two,  Leah,  the  elder,  had  the  disadvantage  of 
plainness.  Our  version  speaks  of  her  as  "  tender-eyed,^' 
but  the  Hebrew  words  mean  rather  that  she  was  ''  dull '' 
and  'Hieavy-eyed  "  in  contrast  with  the  bright  eyes  of 
Rachel — a  great  point  in  Eastern  notions  of  beauty.  It 
may  be,  indeed,  that  here,  as  often,  the  eyes  stand  for 
the  whole  f  ace,^  and  that  the  idea  intended  is,  that  she 
was  as  lean  and  shrivelled  in  her  looks  as  Rachel  was 
attractive.-  But,  as  in  many  other  cases,  she  appears, 
after  all,  to  have  been  the  better  woman  of  the  two. 
Her  position  was  painful  in  the  extreme,  for  she  was 
openly  slighted  by  her  husband  from  the  first.  The 
names  she  gives  her  children  tell  a  long  story  of  patient 
endurance  that  might  well  have  touched  Jacob's  heart, 
but  for  the  spell  under  which  her  sister  held  him.  Her 
firstborn  she  called  Reuben — '^  See  (I  have  borne)  a 
son ! " — a  dumb  appeal  to  her  husband  to  pity  one  on 
whose  aSliction  even  God  had  looked.  Still  ^^  hated," 
she  was  ere  long  again  a  mother,  and  called  her  second 
son  Simeon — ^'  Hearing  '' — because,  as  she  said  in  her 
sad  simplicity,  ^'  the  Lord  liatli  heard  that  I  was  hated, 
and  hath  therefore  given  me  this  son  also."  But  Jacob 
stood  aloof,  and  lived,  as  a  rule,  only  with  her  sister. 
Then  came  a  third  son,  whom  her  yearning  heart  called 
Levi — '^  Him  that  joins  (us)  " — thinking  that  at  last, 
'^  this  time,  my  husband  will  be  joined  to  me,  because  I 
have  borne  him  three  sons."  Yet  her  womanly  hopes 
were  vain.  She  had  been  thrust  on  Jacob  by  her  father, 
that  he  might  get  seven  more  years'  service  from  him — 
and  Rachel  had  his  heart  from  the  first.  A  fourth  son 
could  only  rouse  her  to  thank   God  for  His  goodness, 

sons — was  a  marriageable  girl  when  her  father  arrived  in  Canaan 
(xxxiv.  1). 
»  Isa.  1.15;  X.  12,  «  Jc  r.  iv.  30. 


LEAH  AND  EACHEL.  61 

but  no  longer  waked  any  liope  of  winning  her  husband. 
He  was  Jehudah — ''  Blessed  be  God." 

The  evils  of  polygamy  had  shown  themselves  vividly 
enough  already,  but  were  now  to  be  aggravated.  Rachel 
had  seen,  with  growing  bitterness,  her  sister's  increas- 
ing family,  and  fretted,  in  her  envy,  till  she  roused 
the  passing  anger  of  even  her  doting  husband.  The 
marriage  of  two  sisters  at  the  same  time  was  an  evil  in 
itself  so  great  that  Moses  afterwards  forbade  it  by  an 
express  law.^  Discord  and  hatred  were  almost  inevit- 
able, and  they  were  still  worse  in  their  results  between 
sisters,  than  if  the  two  had  been  of  different  families. 
But  now,  each  gave  a  female  slave  as  concubine  to 
Jacob,  that  they  might  respectively  adopt  as  their  own, 
in  Eastern  fashion,  the  children  thus  borne.  Rachers 
maid  bears  a  son  whom,  in  her  warmth,  her  mistress 
calls  Dan — "  (God  is  my)  Judge  ;  "  then  another,  whom 
Rachel  calls  Naphtali — "  My  wrestling  " — for  she  flatters 
herself  that  she  has  prevailed  in  the  ^^ great  wrestlings" 
she  has  had  with  her  sister,  though,  after  all,  to  have 
adopted  children  was  a  poor  equivalent  for  Leah's  four 
boys. 

But  now  Leah  cannot  allow  herself  to  be  beaten,  and 
gives  Jacob  a  female  slave,  as  Rachel  had  done.  Her 
hopes  revive  when  a  son  is  thus  born,  for  she  fancies 
Jacob  may  be  Avon  after  all,  and  so  calls  the  infant. 
Gad — "  My  fortune  (is  coming  at  last ! )  "  A  second 
son  of  the  slave-girl,  however,  wakes  her  hopes  no 
longer,  and  she  simply  calls  him  Asher — ''  Blessed  "— 
for  she  feels  that  women,  at  least,  will  call  her  happy, 
in  having  such  a  family. 

The  long,  wretched  struggle  that  must  have  worried 
Jacob's  life  was  not  yet  over.  A  fifth  son  cheered  Leah's 
*  Lev.  xviii.  18. 


52  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

heart,  and  received  tlie  name  of  Issachar — ^^  My  reward." 
A  sixtL.  soon  followed,  and  received  tlie  name  of 
Zebulon — ^^  Dwelling  (witli  me)  " — for  slie  fancied  now 
that  Jacob  could  not  refuse  to  live  with,  one  who  had 
borne  him  six  sons.  A  daughter  closed  the  family  of 
the  wronged  and  slighted  woman,  but  she  could  only 
call  her  Dinah,  as  a  pledge  that  the  Lord  had  "  judged  '^ 
her  cause  in  her  favour. 

All  this  while  Rachel  had  had  no  child,  but  at  last 
she  bore  a  son,  and  could  boast  that  "  God  had  taken 
away  her  reproach."  But  now  that  she  had  one,  might 
she  not  hope  for  another  ?  She  could  not  help  doing 
so,  and  spoke  her  wishes  in  his  name,  Joseph — "  Whom 
may  God  increase." 

It  was  after  the  birth  of  Joseph  that  the  third  term 
of  seven  years'  service  with  Laban  began,^  but  it,  also, 
passed  away.  Besides  the  miseries  of  his  divided  house, 
Jacob,  with  all  his  growth  in  wealth,  had  the  added 
troubles  of  a  constant  struggle  with  the  greedy  duplicity 
of  his  father-in-law  j  but  both  his  wives — the  despised 
Leah,  not  less  than  the  pampered  Rachel — stood  by 
their  husband  faithfully. 

At  last,  escape  was  determined,  and  successfully 
effected.  Wives,  children,  slaves,  flocks,  and  herds  were 
hurried  over  the  Syrian  desert,  by  seven  days  of  forced 
marches,  to  the  rich  highland  district  of  Gilead,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Jordan.  There  Laban  overtook 
him,  furious  that  his  prey  had  escaped,  but  pretending, 
with  smooth  hypocrisy,  the  tenderest  motives  for  his 
pursuit.  Unknown  to  either  Jacob  or  Leah,  Rachel  had 
given  good  ground  for  her  father's  anger,  for,  with 
a  strange  mixture  of  superstition  and  dishonesty,  she 
had  taken  advantage  of  his  absence,  when  she  fled,  to 
*  Gen.  XX  K.  26. 


LEAH  AND  BACHEL.  53 

steal  Ms  houseliold  gods^  or  terapMm.^  The  meanness 
and  falsehood  of  the  family — vices  peculiarly  Arab — 
which  showed  themselves  so  strikingly  in  Laban_, 
Rebekah,  and  Jacob,  tainted  her  also;  for  she  was  as 
ready,  with  a  woman's  quickness,  to  invent  a  lie  to 
prevent  the  discovery  of  her  theft,  as  she  had  been 
persistently  unworthy  in  her  dealings  with  her  sister. 

The  arrangements  of  Jacob  for  the  dreaded  meeting 
with  Esau  showed  how  his  affections  ran.  The  slave 
mothers  and  their  children  were  sent  first,  then  Leah  and 
her  family ;  but  Rachel  was  kept,  with  Joseph,  behind, 
that  if  danger  threatened,  they,  at  least,  might  escape. 
The  fierce,  lawless  deed  at  Shechem  was  their  next 
trouble,  and  made  the  peaceful  Jacob  flee  to  the  south, 
lest  the  inhabitants  might  band  together  and  slay  them 
all. 

He  had  determined,  while  still  at  Shechem,  that  on 
reaching  Bethel  he  would  build  an  altar  to  God,  in 
remembrance  of  the  vision  he  had  seen  there,  on  his 
flight  from  Esau,  more  than  twenty  years  before.  For 
himself,  he  recognised  no  God  but  ''  Him  whom  his  father 
Isaac  feared,''  ^  but  Rachel  had  shown,  by  her  theft  of 
her  father's  teraphim,  that  she,  at  least,  was  given  to 
"  strange  gods,"  and  both  men  and  women  wore  ear  and 
nose-rings  marked  with  signs  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  as 
amulets,  for  protection  from  evil.^  It  was  unfitting  to 
renew  a  covenant  with  God  while  these  were  in  use,  and 
they  were  consequently  buried  under  the  oak  which  was 
by  Shechem.  The  migration  southwards  was  then 
made,  and  the  whole  household  consecrated  anew  to 
God  at  Bethel. 

But  heavy  troubles  were  near  at  hand.     The  stay  on 

*  See  illustration  in  Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  vi.  p.  418. 
'  Gen.  xsxi.  53.  »  Gen.  xxxv.  2. 


54 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


the  bleak  hills  of  Bethel  saw  the  first  death  in  the 
patriarch^s  circle — that  of  his  mother's  old  nurse — ^who 
had  doubtless  cared  for  himself  in  his  infancy.  With 
the  pure  family  affection  that  has  ever  marked  the  Jews, 
she  was  buried  under  an  oak  at  hand,  amidst  so  many 
tears  that  it  was  called  the  Oak  of  Weeping.  A  far 
sorer  trial  was,  however,  near.  Rachel's  long-delayed 
wish  for  another  son  was  to  be  heard  at  last,  but  the 
mother  died  as  the  child  was  born.  "  He  is  Benoni,^' 
whispered  the  dying  woman,  the  "  Son  of  my  sorrow : '' 
but  Jacob  would  call  him  nothing  but  Benjamin,  the 
"  Son  of  my  right  hand  " — ''  my  good  fortune  '^ — "  my 
hope."  The  light  of  Jacob's  life  had  gone  out.  Leah 
was  still  with  him,  and  might  now  be  treated  more 
tenderly  when  her  rival  was  dead,  but  the  image  of 
his  first  love — the  beautiful — the  darling — the  untimely 
taken — dwelt  in  his  heart  to  the  last.  He  could  not 
refrain  from  repeating  the  story  of  how  he  lost  her,  even 
when  he  lay  on  his  death-bed,  in  Egypt,  forty  years 
after.  When  Leah  died  is  not  told,  but  while  Rachel 
was  buried  where  she  expired,  by  the  roadside  near 
Bethlehem,  with  a  memorial  pillar  to  mark  the  spot, 
her  sister  was  reverently  laid  beside  Sarah  and  Re- 
bekah,  ia  the  family  burial-cave  of  Mamre. 


Egxpxiak  Bed.    1.  Bed  Head.    2.  Neck-eest.    3.    Steps  to  Bbd 


ESAU. 


AMONG  the  mysteries  of  life,  none  is  more  startling 
tlian  tlie  vivid  contrast  often  seen  between  cliil- 
dren  of  the  same  parents,  inheriting  the  same  common 
blood,  and  surrounded  from  the  first  by  the  same  in- 
fluences. They  are  often  wholly  unlike,  either  in  phy- 
sical, intellectual,  or  moral  characteristics.  Features 
different  from  those  of  either  parent,  but  reproducing 
the  look  of  a  past  generation;  tastes  and  capabilities 
dormant,  it  may  be,  in  both  father  and  mother,  but 
recognised  as  marking  the  family  of  one  or  the  other  ; 
and  moral  bias  for  good  or  evil,  no  less  strangely  re- 
appear, after  overleaping  whole  stages  of  descent,  and 
link  the  past  inexplicably  with  the  present,  making  us 
the  children  of  whole  lines  of  ancestry. 

It  is  only  thus  that  we  can  account  for  so  strange  a 
contrast  as  that  presented  by  the  twin  sons  of  Isaac  and 
Eebekah.  With  a  dash  of  the  qualities  of  his  mother, 
Jacob  inherited  mainly  the  solid  worth  of  his  father — 
his  quiet,  meditative  turn,  averse  to  action,  his  contented 
and  simple  tastes,  his  patient  tenacity,  willing  industry, 
and  deep  religious  convictions.  He  was  the  true  de- 
scendant of  Abraham,  though  tainted  by  the  vices  of 
the  old  Mesopotamian  stock. 

Esau,  on  the  other  hand,  was  a  genuine  son  of  the 
desert,  or,  as  our  Bible  renders  it,  '^  a  man  of  the  field." 


56  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

On  liis  mother's  side  he  was  the  great-grandson  of  one 
from  whom  no  fewer  than  twelve  tribes  of  the  wilder- 
ness had  sprung-.^  Terah^  the  father  of  Abraham  and 
Nahor,  was  an  idolater,  and  it  Avas  to  separate  the  former 
from  his  idolatrous  kindred  that  he  had  been  "  called  ^' 
to  cross  the  Euphrates  and  seek  a  new  home. 

The  knowledge  of  the  one  living  God  must_,  indeed, 
have  survived  in  Mesopotamia,  for  we  find  it  retained 
by  descendants  of  Nahor  settled  in  the  Hauran,  and 
brought  before  us  in  the  Book  of  Job.  But  with  this 
exception,  and  that  of  the  line  of  Abraham,  the  idolatry 
of  Terah  spread  through  the  wide  extent  of  his  posterity 
as  they  grew  into  numerous  races,  and  the  wild  ungodly 
blood  of  the  ancient  stock  appeared  again  in  the  veins 
of  Esau. 

In  those  ages,  and  for  many  centuries  later,  a  tribe  or 
people  living  at  peace  with  their  neighbours  and  shun- 
ning war  was  almost  unknown.  The  example  of  Abra- 
ham and  Isaac  was  perhaps  unique  in  their  day.  To 
use  the  expression  of  Mommsen  in  reference  to  all  early 
historical  periods,  each  community  had  only  the  choice 
of  being  either  hammer  or  anvil :  a  stranger  had  no 
rights ;  his  property  could  be  t.aken  as  freely  as  the 
shell  picked  up  on  the  shore ;  he  was  simply,  like  the 
wild  creatures  of  the  field,  to  be  hunted  down.  In 
Homer's  day  a  man  was  safe  in  the  possession  of  his 
lands  and  flocks  only  so  long  as  he  was  strong  enough 
to  defend  them.  When  he  lost  his  vigour,  he  was  in 
constant  danger  of  being  plundered  and  disinherited. 
Ulysses,  in  his  earlier  wanderings,  lands  at  a  city  on  the 
coast  of  Thrace,  and  instantly  sacks  it  and  kills  all  the 
inhabitants,  not  because  of  any  quarrel,  but  simply  from 
no  treaty  existing  between  him  and  them.  Universal 
*  Nahor.     See  Gen.  xxii,  20. 


ESAU.  67 

enmity  beyond  the  bounds  of  single  or  confederate  tribes 
was  tlie  normal  condition  of  society. 

Esau,  with  his  wild  Arab  nature,  was  in  this  respect  a 
true  child  of  his  age.  He  has  the  virtues,  but  also  the 
defects,  of  his  time  and  race.  The  strong,  sinewy  son  of 
tho  desert,  with  its  boundless  horizons  and  lawless  free- 
dom, his  rough  and  hairy  manhood  marks  splendid  phy- 
sical vigour  which  urges  to  excitement  and  adventure. 
The  old  nomadic  instincts  of  his  race  had  come  back  in 
him  in  all  their  force.  Eestless,  impulsive,  and  fearless, 
he  delighted  to  roam  the  wilderness  free  as  the  air  or 
the  bird,  far  from  the  restraints  and  tameness  of  settled 
habitations.  Like  a  true  Arab,  he  hated  the  dull  pur- 
suits of  industry,  and  turned  to  his  spear  and  bow  as 
alone  worthy  a  man's  regard.  Light-hearted  as  a  child, 
he  was  as  careless  of  the  future.  With  no  self-control 
or  manly  thoughtfulness,  the  enjoyment  of  the  day  was 
more  to  him  than  the  greatest  promises,  for  the  realiza- 
tion of  which  he  must  wait.  His  bounding  health  and 
animal  spirits  engrossed  him,  and  he  found  his  delight 
only  in  their  gratification. 

With  all  this,  he  had  in  him  the  making  of  a  splendid 
man,  for  it  must  have  been  long  a  question  whether  his 
restless,  unsettled  ways  were  not  the  mere  efi'ervescence 
of  youth ;  and  he  showed  the  elements  of  a  character 
that  would  have  adorned  home  had  he  once  sobered  into 
a  quiet  life.  He  was  free-handed  and  generous,  frank 
and  honest,  kindly  and  forgiving.  If  he  was  not  de- 
voted to  his  mother,  he  could  hardly  be  expected  to  be 
so  when  there  was  no  warmth  shown  to  attract  him,  but 
he  worshipped  his  father,  who  paid  him  with  kind  words 
and  looks,  and  he  thought  no  toil  too  great  to  minister 
to  his  happiness.^ 

^  Gen.  XXV.  28;  xxvii,  1. 


58  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

There  was  a  radical  defect,,  however,  in  his  character, 
that  spoiled  all,  and  left  nothing  from  the  promise  of 
the  youth,  but  a  disappointing  and  unfruitful  manhood. 
Life  could  not  be  so  light  and  thoug'htless  as  he  made  it, 
and  ripen  to  anything  worthy.  He  had  no  deeper  and 
more  sober  nature  to  steady  him  as  he  grew  older ;  no 
settled  habits  of  honest  toil ;  no  fixed  religious  prin- 
ciple ;  no  reverence  for  the  future  and  unseen,  and  thus 
had  nothing  on  which  his  better  nature  might  fall  back 
when  the  heyday  of  animal  spirits  and  mere  physical 
enjoyment  were  over.  Brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Isaac, 
he  might  have  learned  to  fear  God,  and  live  before 
Him,  from  his  father's  example,  even  if  he  noted  the 
blemishes  with  which  religiousness  was  stained  in  the 
persons  of  his  mother  and  his  brother.  But  he  had 
no  seriousness  in  his  nature,  and  lived  only  for  excite- 
ment and  pleasure.  Indifferent  to  the  godliness  of  his 
father's  home  in  his  youth  and  earlier  manhood,  he 
passed,  in  his  later  years,  into  the  chieftain  of  a  warlike 
tribe,  a  stranger  at  once  to  the  religion  and  traditions 
of  his  forefathers,  and  the  bitter  enemy  of  the  "  people 
of  God  "  in  later  generations. 

His  last  appearance  in  the  Scripture  narrative  is  at 
the  '^  burial  of  his  father,"  ^  w^here  he  meets  Jacob — the 
two  brothers  now  about  a  hundred  and  twenty  years 
old,  and  near  the  end  of  their  lives.  Time  had  changed 
much.  Esau  and  Jacob  were  both  great  shepherd 
princes,  and  the  land  could  not  bear  them  together. 
Jacob  had  kept  faithful  to  the  God  of  his  fathers,  but 
Esau  had  shown  his  disregard  for  the  promises  by 
marrying  into  the  idolatrous  nations  round,  careless  of 
the  results  on  his  posterity.  To  the  one,  religion  had 
come  to  be  all ;  to  the  other,  it  had  come  to  be  nothing. 
*  Gen.  XXXV.  29, 


ESAU.  69 

Jacob  as  a  man  of  peace  found  himself  at  liome  in  the 
open  country,  for  he  wished  to  hurt  no  one,  and  to  pass 
his  remaining  years  in  the  pastoral  quiet  of  all  his  past. 
Esau  had  come  to  live  by  his  sword,  as  his  father  had 
predicted ;  ^  the  head  of  a  great  tribe  of  lawless  no- 
mads; whose  hand,  like  that  of  Ishmael,  was  against 
every  man,  and  turned  every  man^s  against  him.  To  him 
the  downs  of  Southern  Palestine  were  too  exposed  to 
attack,  and  too  little  suited  for  defence.  The  rugged 
mountains  of  Edom  suited  him  better.  He  could  live  in 
their  fastnesses,  and  find  a  retreat  among  them  on  his 
return  from  his  Bedouin  forays.  To  them,  therefore, 
he  turned,  and  made  them  his  home,  by  the  extirpation 
of  their  Horite  population. 

If,  as  is  not  to  be  questioned,  a  nation  remains  true  to 
the  spirit  of  its  origin,  the  character  of  the  Edomites, 
Esau's  descendants,  throws  light  on  his  own.  Wayward 
and  fickle,  now  allied  to  Israel,  now  hostile ;  wavering, 
unstable ;  with  no  high  ideal  of  national  or  religious 
life;  impulsive,  troublesome,  restless,  they  reproduced 
the  image  of  their  ancestor.  "  A  turbulent  and  unruly 
race,"  says  Josephus,  ^^  always  hovering  on  the  verge  of 
revolution,  always  rejoicing  in  changes,  roused  to  arms 
by  the  slightest  motion  of  flattery,  and  rushing  to  battle 
as  if  going*  to  a  feast."  The  Idumaean  dynasty,  which 
for  a  time  ruled  Judaea,  bear  a  stamp  no  less  distinctive  : 
Herod,  the  magnificent  but  still  half  barbarous,  devoted 
to  his  family,  and  yet  turning  against  them  in  his 
jealousy;  the  worshipper  of  Mariamne,  and  her  mur- 
derer ;  Herod  Antipas,  who  heard  John  gladly,  and 
slew  him ;  and  Herod  Agrippa,  almost  a  Christian,  but 
also  half  Jew,  half  heathen. 

The  moral  of  the  lives  of  the  two  brothers  lies  on  the 
^  Gen.  xxvii.  40. 


60 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS 


surface.  In  the  elder,  we  see  liow  the  finest  disposition, 
if  unsupported  by  steady  habits  and  fixed  religious 
princip]e_,  is  no  safeguard  against  moral  degeneracy  and 
utter  failure  in  all  the  nobler  purposes  of  existence.  In 
the  younger,  the  refining  and  dignifying  influence  of 
solid  worth,  even  when  it  has  to  struggle  against  the 
weaknesses  and  temptation  of  a  meaner  nature,  is  shown 
no  less  clearly.  The  one  shines  before  us  in  his  youth 
only  to  darken  and  lose  his  glory  ere  he  dies ;  the  other 
rises  amidst  clouds  and  mists,  but  breaks  through  them 
after  a  time,  till,  at  his  setting,  the  very  clouds  that 
darkened  round  him  at  first  heighten  his  glory  as  he 
disappears. 


_«-<^'*»i. 


,Hl/»lVV-*.^^,i^ 


MOURNEKS  AT  A   GrAVB. 


JUDAH. 

THE  name  of* Judali,  so  famous  in  tlie  history  of  tlie 
Hebrew  nation,  seems  to  have  been  already  in 
use  among  the  Canaanitisli  or  Phoenician  tribes  in  Pales- 
tine, before  its  adoption  by  Leah  as  that  of  her  fourth 
son.  One  of  Esau^s  wives — the  daughter  of  Beeri, 
"  The  Explainer/'  of  the  race  of  the  Hittites  ^ — was 
Judith,  a  feminine  form  of  Judah,  and  the  fact  is  of 
value  as  showing  what  the  Moabite  stone  so  strangely 
illustrates,  that  the  patriarchs  lived  amongst  races  who 
spoke  Hebrew,  as  they  themselves  did.  The  name 
does  not  occur  again  in  Scripture  till  after  the  exile, 
but  became  frequent  after  it  had  been  borne  by  Judas 
Maccabaeus ;  and  it  occurs  in  the  New  Testament  re- 
peatedly, under  the  forms  of  Judas  or  Jude.  It  has  the 
signal  honour  of  having  passed,  in  modern  times,  into 
the  word  Jew,  and  to  have  marked  the  whole  Hebrew 
nation,  even  as  early  as  the  time  of  the  exile,  under 
the  form  J'hudi.^ 

'  1  Heth  means  "the  dreaded."  The  Hittites  were  a  race  ap- 
parently allied  to  the  Mongols,  who  formed  a  great  empire 
stretching  from  Carchemish,  on  the  Euphrates,  to  Asia  Minor. 
See  Ifoitrs  ivith  the  Bible,  vol.  iv.  p.  37^.  On  both  the  Assyrian 
and  Egyptian  monuments  they  appear  as  the  object  of  repeated 
campaigns  by  the  most  warlike  monarchs  of  both  empires. 
2  Esther  iv.  7. 


62  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

A  longer  notice  of  Judali  is  given  in  Scripture  than 
of  any  other  of  Jacob's  sons,  except  Joseph ;  an  honour 
fully  warranted  by  his  personal  characteristics,  and  by 
the  historical  importance  of  the  tribe  which  he  founded. 

He  comes  before  us,  for  the  first  time,  as  a  young- 
man  of  five  or  six-and-twenty,  in  the  sad  incident  of 
the  plot  against  their  father's  favourite,  Joseph.  Poly- 
gamy had  thus  early  introduced  rivalry  and  ill-will 
between  the  descendants  of  the  despised  Leah  and  the 
favoured  Eachel — a  rivalry  which  was  by  turns  to 
smoulder  and  burn  up  fiercely,  through  all  the  future 
history  of  the  nation,  till  it  culminated  in  the  great 
tribe  of  Ephraim,  the  recognised  head  of  the  tribes 
descended  from  Eachel,  finally  seceding,  with  them  and 
with  others  who  followed  its  leadership,  from  Judah,  the 
representative  of  the  elder  wife.  Ephraim  vexed 
Judah,  and  Judah  Ephraim,  till  the  nation  well-nigh 
perished  by  their  mutual,  hereditary  jealousy. 

The  son*  of  Jacob  were  feeding  their  father's  flocks 
on  the  rich  plain  of  Dothan— "  The  Two  Wells"— 
which  is  separated  only  by  a  swell  or  two  of  the  hills  to 
the  north  of  it,  from  the  great  Plain  of  Esdraelon,  when 
Joseph  approached  them  in  his  long-sleeved  and,  it  may 
be,  coloured  tunic,  reaching  to  the  feet,  such  as  only  the 
better  class  wore ;  very  difi"erent  from  their  own  coarse 
dress.  As  sons  of  Leah,  they  had  long  hated  the  elder 
son  of  Rachel,  thus  marked  for  an  easy,  luxurious  life, 
as  his  father's  pet,  while  they  were  left  to  toil  in  the 
field.  The  Arab  fierceness  which  had  blazed  up,  some 
years  before,  in  the  massacre  at  Shechem,  Avas  at  once 
re-kindled,  and  nothing  would  satisfy  them  but  the 
murder  of  their  brother,  now  a  lad  of  fifteen  or  sixteen. 
With  Eastern  fertility  in  lying,  the}  proposed  to  kill 
him  and  cast  him  into  some  empty  well,  pretending  to 


JUDAH.  63 

Jacob  that  some  wild  beast  bad  devoured  bim.  For- 
tunately Keuben,  tbe  first-born  of  Leab,  was  in  a  gentler 
mood,  and  induced  tbem  to  content  themselves  with  strip- 
ping him  of  his  finery,  and  putting  him  down  a  dry 
cistern  to  die  of  hunger  and  thirst ;  a  fate  from  which 
be  intended  to  rescue  him  secretly.  Unfortunately  his 
kindly  design  was  unknown  to  Judah,  who  thought 
only  of  the  wretched  death  thus  waiting  the  lad,  and 
was  glad  to  suggest  a  more  merciful  fate  for  their 
victim,  on  the  appearance  of  an  Arab  caravan,  passing 
from  beyond  tbe  Jordan  to  Egypt.  "  What  good,"  he 
asked,  "  will  it  do  us  to  kill  our  brother,  and  hide  the 
murder  ?  Let  us  sell  him  to  these  Ishmaelites,  and  not 
let  our  hand  be  upon  him,  for  he  is  our  brother  and  our 
flesh."  Hard  at  the  best,  it  was  well  intended,  and 
showed  a  kindly  heart,  though,  for  once,  a  less  fertile 
readiness  than  that  of  Eeuben.  In  two  generations 
"  Ishmael "  had  avenged  his  expulsion  from  the  tents 
of  Abraham  by  leading  off  Isaac's  grandson  to  foreign 
slavery !  ^ 

The  scene  of  intense  and  long-continued  dissimulation 
that  followed  marks  a  wretched  morality.  Neither 
Reuben  nor  Judah  had  the  manliness  to  tell  their  father 
the  truth,  and  thus  enable  him  to  take  measures  for  his 
son's  recovery,  but,  with  their  brothers,  let  him  believe 
the  lie  of  the  coat  dipped  in  blood,  and,  with  audacious 
hypocrisy,  "rose  up  to  comfort  him"  for  his  terrible 
loss.  The  ideal  of  uprightness  and  religious  honour 
was  but  poorly  developed,  as  yet,  even  in  the  circle  of 
the  chosen  race ! 

It  was  impossible  for  each  generation  to  imitate 
Jacob  by  going  to  Mesopotamia  to  marry  into  the  family 
stock ;  and,  indeed,  the  results  in  his  case  had  not  been 
very  encouraging.     Hence,  when,  during  a  visit  to  the 


64  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Canaanite  town  of  Adullam,  in  the  liills  a  little  soutli- 
east  of  the  future  Jerusalem,  Judah  saw,  at  the  house  of 
one  of  the  town's-folk,  a  Canaanite  maiden,  Shuah — 
"The  Heiress  ^' — who  pleased  him,  he  made  her  his  wife. 
Her  name  seems  to  imply  that  he  shrewdly  bettered  his 
fortune  by  the  match,  and  this  appears  also  to  follow 
from  a  notice  we  presently  have  of  his  having  begun  an 
independent  career  as  sheep-master,  at  Timnath,  on  the 
western  slopes  of  the  hills  behind  Joppa,  a  long  way 
from  his  father. 

Yet  every  lot  in  life  has  its  shadows,  and  those  in 
that  of  Judah  were  the  deaths  in  his  family.  Two 
married  sons  and  a  daughter  died,  leaving  him  only  his 
youngest  son. 

The  strange  episode  of  his  daughter-in-law  Tamar 
throws  a  strong  light  at  once  on  the  singular  marriage- 
laws  of  these  early  times — which,  with  some  restrictions, 
were  afterwards  adopted  by  Moses — and  on  the  imperfect 
morals  then  prevailing.  We  must  not  forget,  indeed, 
that  the  scene  is  in  Canaan,  the  hot-bed  of  all  impurity 
from  the  days  of  Sodom  to  those  of  later  Eome. 

Two  children  of  Tamar—"  The  Palm-Tree  ''—a  tall 
graceful  maiden,  doubtless,  at  her  marriage — claimed 
Judah  as  father,  and  one  of  them,  Pharez,  was  destined 
to  be  the  ancestor  of  the  royal  line  of  David,  and,  in  the 
end,  of  a  far  higher  than  he,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.^ 
Strange  that  the  Holy  One  should  have  in  His  veins  the 
blood  of  the  harlot  Eahab  and  of  the  illegitimate  Pharez  ; 
but  so  it  stands  recorded,  as  if  to  show  that  not  even 
the  guiltiest  are  beneath  His  pitying  regard ! 

Our  scanty  notices  pass  over  about  twenty  years,  and 
bring  Judah  before  us  again  as  a  man  close  on  fifty, 
pleading  with  Jacob  to  trust  him  with  Benjamin  on  the 
1  1  Chron.  ii.  3-5 ;  Matt.  i.  2,  3 ;  Li  ko  iii.  33. 


JUDAH.  65 

second  journey  to  Egypt  for  wheat,  in  a  time  of  sore 
famine  in  Canaan.  The  high  official  who  had  given  it 
to  the  ten  brethren  before,  had  told  them  that  they  should 
not  see  his  face  if  their  youngest  brother  were  not  with 
them.  But  that  brother  was  the  only  son  left  of  Rachel, 
the  wife  of  Jacob's  early  and  only  love,  and  how  could 
the  poor  old  man  part  with  him  ?  The  brothers  try  to 
induce  him  to  do  so,  but  in  vain,  till  Judah  interposes, 
offering  to  become  surety  for  the  lad,  and  to  bear  the 
blame  for  ever  if  he  do  not  bring  him  safely  back  again. 
His  influence  with  his  father  obtained  what  all  his 
brethren  had  for  weeks  striven,  without  success,  to  win 
from  him. 

The  further  scene,  in  which,  after  the  pretended  theft 
of  Joseph's  cup,  all  the  brothers,  with  Benjamin,  were 
brought  back  and  treated  as  criminals,  brings  Judah 
before  us  as  the  foremost  man  among  them.  Nowhere 
can  there  be  found  an  appeal  of  more  striking  natural 
eloquence  than  that  in  which  he  pleads  to  be  taken  as 
a  slave  instead  of  Benjamin,  that  the  loss  of  the  second 
son  of  his  father's  best  loved  wife  might  not  bring  down 
the  old  man's  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave .^ 

When  Jacob  had  finally  determined  to  remove  with 
all  his  family  to  Egypt,  the  influence  of  Judah,  as  the 
foremost  among  his  sons,  was  again  seen  by  his  being 
sent  beforehand  to  meet  Joseph,  at  "  the  city  of  Heroes  '* 
(Heroopolis),  or,  in  "the  land  of  Barneses,"  as  the 
Septuagint  renders  it,  and  jreceive  instructions  from  him 
respecting  the  district  assigned  to  his  family.  Hero* 
opolis  was  at  the  edge  of  the  home  in  the  Delta,  thus  set 
apart  for  the  new  immigrants,  and  the  mission  of  Judah 
to  Joseph  to  prepare  for  their  arrival  shows  that  he  must 
have  been  regarded  by  Jacob  as  every  way  deserving 
»  Gen.  xliii.  18-34. 

F 


66  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

his  confidence.  He  liad  shown  himself  trustworthy, 
intelligent^  and  energetic  in  his  management  of  the 
difficult  afi*air  of  Benjamin's  detention^,  and  the  same 
characteristics  doubtless  gave  him  his  prominence  in  the 
family  on  a  great  occasion  like  their  removal  to  another 
country. 

The  blessing  of  the  dying  patriarch  is  the  last  glimpse 
we  have  of  the  ablest  of  Leah's  sons.  It  opens  with 
one  of  the  plays  on  words  so  common  in  similar  cases  in 
Scripture — 

Thou  art  Jehudah — (Praise) — thy  brethren  shall  praise  thee  ! 

Thy  hand  shall  grasp  the  necks  of  thy  foes  ! 

Thy  father's  sons  will  do  thee  homage  ! 

A  Lion's  "Whelp  is  Judah — ■ 

(Like  a  lion)  Gone  np  from  the  prey  art  thou,  my  son ; ' 

He  lays  himself  down,  and  settles  himself  as  an  old  lion  or 

a  (fierce)  lioness  (in  her  den) ; 
"Who  shall  rouse  him  ? 
From  Judah  shall  the  Sceptre  not  depart, 
Nor  a  leader  be  wanting  from  his  loins, 
Till  He  comes,  the  Prince  of  Peace; 
To  Him  will  the  nations  be  subject ! 

He  (Judah)  binds  his  ass's  colt  to  the  vine; 
To  the  royal  vine  his  ass's  foal ! 
He  washes  his  garments  in  wine  ; 
His  clothes  in  the  blood  of  the  grape ! 
His  eyes  shall  glow  with  the  fire  of  wine ; 
His  teeth  be  white  with  milk  ! 

When  and  where  Judah.  died  is  not  told,  but  the 
position  assigned  him  in  his  father's  circle  was  retained 

^  Luther  makes  it.  "  Thou  art  grown  great,  my  son,  through 
mighty  victories."  Nothing  can  be  harder  than  to  reconcile  the 
opposed  renderings  of  such  passages  as  the  blessing  of  Jacob.  I 
have  simply  tried  to  make  the  best  version  1  could  out  of  many, 
and  from  the  Hebrew  itself. 


JUDAH. 


67 


by  his  descendants  towards  tliose  from  the  other  sons  of 
Jacob.  At  Sinai,  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  larger  than 
any  other,  and  the  place  of  honour  was  assigned  it  in 
the  wilderness,  in  the  van  of  the  host.  In  keeping  with 
the  figure  of  the  paternal  blessing,  the  traditional 
standard  of  the  tribe  was  a  lion's  whelp,  with  the  legend, 
added  in  later  times,  "  Rise  up.  Lord,  and  let  Thine 
enemies  be  scattered  " — the  battle-cry,  strange  to  say, 
of  Cromwell's  decisive  charge  at  Dunbar. 

After  the  stormy  anarchy  of  the  Judges — a  period 
not  unlike  that  of  our  Heptarchy,  or  even  of  earlier  and 
still  more  turbulent  times — Judah  and  Ephraim  became 
ever  more  prominently  the  leading  tribes.  Under 
David  and  Solomon,  the  former  for  a  time  reigned  over 
the  whole  race ;  but  the  next  king  saw  the  fatal  secession 
of  Jeroboam. 

After  the  return,  Judah  remained  the  one  represen- 
tative of  the  ancient  greatness  of  collective  Israel.  It 
included,  doubtless,  many  of  other  tribes — the  gleanings 
won  from  the  Captivity;  but,  even  now,  over  the  whole 
earth,  the  fourth  son  of  Leah  has  a  universal  tribute  to 
his  influence  in  the  past,  for  the  word  Jew,  as  I  have 
said,  is  but  a  repetition  of  his  name. 


Bba-BSS.    Uppeb  bow,  Egyptian;  others,  of  Vabious  Natioits. — After  Wilkinson, 
Roscllini,  and  Lauard. 


JOSEPH. 

IN  the  difficulties  and  anxieties  of  lif  e_,  it  lias  always 
been  felt  by  tliose  wlio  believe  in  a  gracious 
Providence^  tliat  they  should  not  despair^  even  when 
things  look  darkest,  since  the  greatest  trials  may  be 
found,  in  the  end,  to  have  been  divinely  overruled  for 
good.  To  such  a  consolatory  trust,  apart  from  individual 
experience,  nothing  has  aided  more  powerfully  than  the 
story  of  Joseph.  Torn  from  a  doting  father  to  pass  into 
slavery  in  a  foreign  land;  one  moment  filled  with  dreams 
of  useful  happiness  and  future  honour ;  the  next,  beseech- 
ing his  own  brothers,  in  anguish  of  soul,  not  to  kill  him 
or  sell  him  as  a  slave,^  he  yet  lived  to  be  able  to  say  to 
those  who  thus  cruelly  wronged  him,  "  It  was  not  you 
that  sent  me  hither,  but  God — to  save  your  lives  by  a 
great  deliverance,  and  to  preserve  you  a  posterity  in  the 
earth.''  ^ 

At  the  time  of  the  flight  from  Mesopotamia,  Joseph 
was  about  six  years  old;  as  yet  the  only  son  of  his 
father's  favourite  wife,  born  when  Jacob  was  over  ninety, 
and  thus  endeared,  not  only  as  the  first  child  of  Rachel, 
but  as  the  child  of  his  old  age.'^  Years  only  added  to 
this  fondness,  for,  as  they  passed,  they  showed  in  the 
growing   boy    a   quiet   thoughtfulness    that    contrasted 

»  Gen.  xlii.  21.  ^  Qen.  xlv.  7.  ^  Gen.  xxxvii.  3. 

68 


JOSEPH.  69 

strongly  witli  tlie  rough  ways  of  his  brothers ;  a  strict- 
ness and  purity  of  mind  to  which  they  were  strangers  ; 
and  an  instinctive  sense  of  his-future  ascendancy,  Avhich_, 
doubtless,  seemed  to  his  father  only  a  foreshadowing 
of  what  he  himself  equally  believed  and  desired.  The 
simple,  peaceful  Jacob,  averse  to  stirring  or  lawless 
excitement,  loved  Joseph  so  much  the  more  as  he  saw  in 
him  the  counterpart  of  his  own  nature.  .Unfortunately 
he  could  not  conceal  his  partiality.  His  darling  must 
have  everything  that  marked  his  being  so,  even  to  a  long 
gay  tunic,  the  special  mark  of  superiority  and  honour.^ 

The  dry  cistern  at  Dothan,  and  the  fetters  of  the 
slave-caravan,  were  the  fierce  retaliation  for  the  weak- 
ness of  the  father  and  the  airs  and  vanity  of  the  lad. 
Then  followed  the  slave-market,  and  his  purchase  by 
Potiphar  as  a  household  servant.  It  was  a  rough 
discipline  for  a  boy  of  seventeen,  but  like  all  the  trials 
of  life  when  rightly  used,  it  was,  after  all,  the  first  step 
towards  great  ends. 

Brought  up  in  pastoral  luxury  as  a  favourite  son  of  a 
great  emir,  and  showing  it  in  his  whole  style  and  bear- 
ing ;  personally  beautiful ;  ^  staid  and  sober  beyond  his 
years  ;  sagacious,  able,  and  upright ;  it  was  natural  that 
he  should  inspire  confidence,  and  equally  so  that  the 
confidence  reposed  in  him  should  be  justified.  From  a 
menial  he  presently  rises  to  be  head  of  Potiphar's  house, 
entrusted  with  the  management  of  his  master's  domestic 
affairs.  But  it  is  seldom  granted  that  prosperity  should 
escape  checks  and  reverses,  often  severe  and  unde- 
served ;  and  Joseph  had  his  full  share  of  them. 

The  sorest  temptation  that  can  befall  any  one — to 
sin  and  prosper  rather  than  resist  and  suff'er — finds  him 
victorious,  but  with  a  dungeon  as  the  penalty.  The 
^  Gon.  xxxix.  6. 


70 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


strong  sense  of  tlie 
presence    of    God 
whicli      character- 
ises   him   through 
life/   sustains  him 
in    his    unmerited 
calamity^  as  it  had 
strengthened    him 
to    the   virtue    for 
which  he  was  thus 
punished.  He  com- 
mits     himself     to 
^'  Him    whom    his 
father       feared ; " 
and,  with  surpass- 
ing     strength      of 
mind  and  firmness 
of    religious   prin- 
ciple,    believes    it 
better  to  do  right 
at  any  present  cost, 
than  to  prosper  for 
the  moment  by  do- 
ing wrong. 

His  past  life  had 
turned  on  the  sig- 
nificance attached 
to  dreams,  and  they 
were  the  determin- 
ing influences  inhig 
future  career.  In 
these  early  ages, 
—and,  it  may  be, 

*  Gen.  xxxix. 


JOSEPH.  71 

even  now,  more  than  we  suspect, — dreams  were  often 
the  channel  of  direct  or  symbolic  Divine  communications. 
Advanced  in  the  prison  to  the  same  honour  shown 
him  in  the  house  of  Potiphar,  two  dreams  of  high 
officials  imprisoned  with  him,  were  the  occasion,  after  a 
time,  of  his  being  brought  under  the  notice  of  the  King 
himself.  It  had  been  a  long  trial,  but  the  light  was 
now  to  break  at  last.  Thirteen  years  had  passed  be- 
tween the  sad  day  of  his  sale  to  the  Ishmaelites  at 
Dothan  and  his  being  led  away  in  the  slave-coffle,  and 
his  standing  before  Pharaoh  in  honour  and  dignity ;  and 
of  these  nearly  all  had  been  spent  in  the  degradation 
and  suffering  of  an  Egyptian  prison.  That  he  kept 
firmly  to  his  trust  in  God,  amidst  universal  idolatry, 
under  such  a  trial  of  his  faith,  marks  his  true  worth  and 
greatness  of  soul. 

The  interpretation  of  Pharaoh's  dreams  and  the  coun- 
sel he  based  on  it  were  well  fitted  to  secure  his  elevation. 
Who  could  be  better  fitted  to  carry  out  a  project  than 
he  who  had  conceived  it  ?  The  sagacity  which  proposed 
a  plan  so  evidently  wise  could  alone  be  trusted  with  its 
execution.  As  often  happens  in  the  East,  the  slave  of 
to-day  became  the  dignitary  of  the  morrow. 

The  account  of  Joseph's  installation  as  Grand  Vizier 
is  true  in  its  minutest  details  to  ancient  Egyptian  life,  as 
shown  in  the  contemporary  pictorial  records  still  so  fully 
preserved.  The  investiture  took  place  in  presence  of 
the  great  King,  seated  on  his  throne,  and  the  monu- 
ments still  illustrate  ^  how  ''  Pharaoh  took  off  his  signet 
ring, — the  Great  Seal  of  the  kingdom, — and  put  it  on 
Joseph's  hand  (as  the  sign  of  his  being  appointed  prime 
minister,  to  act  in  his  master's  stead),  and  arrayed  him 
in  (long,  flowing)  vestures  of  fine  (Egyptian)  linen,  and 
*  Wilkinson's  Ancient  Egyptians,  vol.  i.  p.  293. 


72 


OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


put  a  gold  chain  round  his  neck,  (the  visible  badge  of 
office)."  Public  inauguration  followed.  Seated  on  the 
State  Chariot,  known  as  that  which  immediately  followed 


the  chariot  of  the  King  in  grand  processions,  the  new 
minister  was  borne  through  the  city  and  shown  to  the 
people,  heralds  going   before,  with   the  cry  to  all   to 


JOSEPH.  73 

*' prostrate"   tliemselves  as  the  representative   of   the 
monarch  drew  near. 

Egypt  was  then  the  centre  of  civilization,  and  the 
greatest  existing  monarchy.  The  Pyramids  of  Cheops, 
Chephren,  and  Mykerinus,  on  which  we  now  gaze  with 
wonder,  were  already  nearly  a  thousand  years  old.  So 
were  the  great  subterranean  mummy  pits  round  them, 
which  now  give  us  so  vivid  a  picture,  in  their  countless 
mural  paintings,  of  the  life  and  customs  of  these  ancient 
times.  A  thousand  years  had  yet  to  pass  before  the 
history  of  other  nations  begins.  The  gigantic  monu- 
ments of  Upper  Egypt  which  still  amaze  us  had  stood 
for  centuries.  Thebes  was  in  all  its  glory.  The  huge 
Tombs  of  the  Kings  had  been  hewn  out  of  its  rocks,  and 
its  colossi  threw  their  shadows  over  the  sands.  The 
Lake  Moeris  had  been  constructed,  as  a  vast  reservoir 
of  the  Nile  waters  for  the  fertilization  of  the  land,  and  \ 
canals  netted  the  country  for  its  universal  irrigation.^ 
An  invasion  of  "  Shepherd  Kings  "  from  the  plains  of 
Asia — the  first  inroad  on  civilization  by  the  hordes  of 
that  continent — had  overthrown  the  twelfth  native  dy- 
nasty, and,  after  reigning  more  than  five  hundred  years, 
had  been  at  last  expelled  by  King  S ethos  the  First, 
or  a  near  predecessor.  Under  this  great  king,  Joseph, 
shepherd's  son  as  he  was,  and,  as  such,  of  a  hated 
stock,  found  himself  prime  minister. 

Of  the  policy  of  Joseph,  there  have  been  very  oppo- 
site opinions.  To  us  it  seems  that  with  all  his  upright- 
ness, he  must  h9,ye  _been_a  man  of  hard,  stern  nature, 
kind  enough  to  individuals  and  to  his  family,  but  insen- 
sible to  the  claims  of  his  fellow-men  as  a  whole.  By 
levying  heavy  taxes  of  wheat  during  the  plentiful  years, 
he  amassed  in  the  royal  magazines  a  stock  which  put 
^  See  Records  of  the  Fast,  passim. 


74  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

tlie  country  at  tlie  mercy  of  Pharaoli  during  tlie  terrible 
r  famine  that  succeeded.  Till  then  the  people  had  owned 
the  soil,  but;  step  by  step,  he  got  from  them,  first_,  all 
i  their  money,  then  all  their  cattle,  their  horses,  flocks, 
herdS;  and  asses,  then  all  their  lands,  and  finally  their 
personal  liberty,^  and  removed  them  from  the  soil  that 
had  once  been  theirs,  to  cities — a  nation  of  slaves^  owned, 
with  all  that  belonged  to  them,  including  even  the 
country  itself,  by  the  crown.  Henceforth  he  rented 
their  lands  to  them,  after  the  famine,  for  a  payment 
of  twenty  per  cent,  of  the  produce,  a  tax  heavy  enough 
to  be  oppressive,  but  yet  light  compared  with  the  sys- 
tem of  the  present  ruler  of  Egypt,  who  exacts  such 
burdens  that  forty  thousand  inhabitants  in  one  district 
alone  have  recently  been  forced  to  quit  their  holdings 
and  let  them  lie  untilled.  Still,  to  take  advantage  of 
the  necessities  of  a  people,  to  make  them  and  their  very 
country  the  personal  property  of  the  king,  was  far  from 
the  ideal  of  generous  statesmanship. 

Joseph,  strangely  enough,  had  been  made  Zaaphnaath- 
paaneah  ^ — ''  Grovernor  of  the  district  of  the  abode  of 
him  who  lives,"  that  is,  of  the  god  Ankh.  This  dis- 
trict was  to  be  the  future  home  of  his  family.  Driven 
by  the  famine,  Jacob's  sons  had  to  come  to  Egypt  for 
food,  like  many  from  other  lands.  Joseph  had  also  been 
made  Ab-en-Pirao — ^^The  first  officer  of  the  palace  of 
Pharaoh  '^ — not  "  father  of  Pharaoh  '^  as  our  version 
translates  it ;  and  it  was  only  natural  that  his  brothers 
should  not  recognise  him,  surrounded  by  the  splendour  of 
such  exalted  posts.  That  he  should  treat  them  roughly, 
even  after  so  many  years,  and  notwithstanding  the  good 
fortune  which  their  crime  had  brought  him,  was  only 
human,  and  it  was  well,  besides,  to  humble  them  and 
»  Gen.  xlvii.  15-21.  2  Qen.  xH.  45. 


JOSEPH. 


75 


force  tliem  to  feel  their  guilt.  But  wliy  did  he  inflict 
on  his  father  the  terrible  trial  of  demanding  Benjamin, 
or  keep  him  in  ignorance  of  his  own  existence  and  wel- 
fare ?  It  gave  the  old  patriarch  months  of  agony,  for 
through  months  together  he  refused  to  consent  to  Ben- 
jamin^s  leaving  him.  Why,  indeed,  had  the  favourite 
son  not  sent  word  to  his  father  long  years  before,  that 
he  was  alive  and  prosperous  ? 

But,  once  resolved  to  make  himself  known,  his  conduct 
was  noble  and  generous.  The  district  of  Goshen^  run- 
ning south  from  Pelusium  on  the 
edge  of  the  Mediterranean,  and 
eastward  to  the  southern  desert  of 
Judaea,  had  for  its  capital,  On, 
whose  greatest  temple  was  dedicated 
to  the  god  Ankh — '^  He  who  lives.'' 
Joseph  had  been  married  to  the 
daughter  of  its  high  priest,  and 
likely  lived  in  the  city.  The  dis- 
trict round,  he  persuaded  Pharaoh 
to  assign  to  his  family.  It  lay  north 
of  Egypt  proper,  and  was  probably 
then,  as  now,  a  poor  region,  fitted 
for  grazing,  but  not  so  fertile  as  to 
make  its  being  given  up  to  strangers  a  public  offence. 
Besides,  it  made  these  strangers  a  bulwark  to  Egypt  on 
its  only  vulnerable  point,  towards  Asia,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  both  kept  them  apart  from  the  Egyptians,  and 
brought  them  in  contact  with  the  purest  conception  of 
the  divinity  to  be  found  in  the  land. 

That  they  prospered  as  they  did  shows  the  tenderness 
with  which  they  were  cared  for,  and  it  is  certain  that 
they  retained  this  interest  in  Joseph's  regard  to  the  last. 
In  speech,  dress,  and  manners  an  Egyptian,  he  remained 


EaypTiAK  Pbiestbss. 


76  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEE3. 

at  heart  a  Hebrew.     Tlie  first  of  many  examples  amoivg 


his  race, — including  even  the  late  premier  of  England, 


JOSEPH.  7,7 

— of  a  Hebrew  rising  to  the  highest  place  in  the  country- 
he  had  made  his  home,  he  was  still  true  to  his  kindred 
and  to  their  faith.  For  his  two  sons,  Manasseh  and 
Ephraim,  he  preferred  Jacob's  blessing,  and  a  portion 
with  his  descendants,  above  all  the  honours  he  could 
have  secured  for  them  from  Pharaoh.  For  himself,  he 
cherished  the  promise  of  a  return  to  Canaan  as,  beyond 
doubt,  to  be  realized,  and  exacted  a  pledge,  carried  out 
generations  after,  that  his  embalmed  mummy  should  be 
buried  in  the  sacred  land,  whither  he  had  already  car- 
ried that  of  his  father. 

The  circumstances  of  his  death  are  not  told  us,  but 
the  lesson  of  his  life  may  be  read  by  all.  It  teaches  a 
calm  reliance  on  Providence  in  all  the  chano-es  of  life, 
and  the  grandeur  of  unshaken  faith  in  the  goodness  of 
God.  The  value  of  strict  integrity,  energy,  and  industry, 
are  no  less  enforced,  nor  can  young  men,  in  some  as- 
pects, have  a  nobler  example. 

Joseph  appears  to  us  as  a  man  of  great  natural  parts, 
able  to  form  and  adhere  to  plans  involving  the  trans- 
formation of  a  country  in  its  constitution  and  laws.  He 
could  endure  patiently,  and  he  kept  to  his  principles 
steadfastly  from  youth  to  old  age.  Instinct  with  energy, 
of  inflexible  will,  ambitious  from  youth,  but  using  des- 
potic power  gently,  when  gained;  able  to  restrain  his 
feelings  and  preserve  se' ^'-command,  but  not  without 
deep  affection  and  kindly  sympathy ;  ready  to  forgive 
injuries,  and  even  to  benefit  those  who  wronged  him 
most, — ^he  is,  still,  greatest  in  his  fidelity  through  life 
to  the  God  of  his  fathers.  Pure  in  morals,  a  tender 
father,  a  generous  brother,  he  was  much  more, — a  con- 
fessor of  the  true  faith  in  the  midst  of  idolaters,  and 
a  believer  in  the  promises  when  their  fulfilment  was 
centuries  distant. 


PHARAOH. 

"  "r)HARAOH ''  is  not  a  name,  but  a  title,  wliicli, 
JL  strange  to  say,  anticipated,  in  the  early  history 
of  the  world,  the  Turkish  and  Persian  custom  of  using 
the  residence  of  the  monarch  as  his  official  style.  As 
the  Sultan  is  ''  the  Sublime  Porte '' — or  "  lofty  gate  " — so 
the  Egyptian  king  was  Pharaoh,  ^*^the  great"  or  "the 
high  house/'  Even  in  the  Book  of  Esther^  the  "king's 
gate  "  is  used  as  equivalent  to  the  palace,  and  it  was  an 
easy  step  from  this  to  use  it  of  himself.  In  Scotland, 
country  gentlemen  are  known,  not  by  their  own  name, 
but  by  that  of  their  estate.^ 

Egyptian  chronology  is  one  of  the  most  hotly-disputed 
questions  of  the  day,  and  it  is  vain  to  attempt  the 
reconciliation  of  the  different  theories.  Taking  that  of 
Professor  Lepsius,  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of 
Germany,  as  guide,  we  may,  perhaps,  be  as  safe  as 
with  any. 

It  would  seem  that  the  king  under  whom  Joseph  was 
advanced  was  no  other  than  Sethos  I.,  or  Sesostris,  a 
point  in  which  Lepsius,  Mr.  Stuart  Poole  of  the  British 
Museum,  and  Dr.  Brugsch  are  agreed.      Eighteen  dy- 

»  Esther  iv.  2,  6. 

2  This  custom  is  alluded  to  in  the  preface  of  Kinglake'a 
Eoihen. 

n 


PHAKAOH.  79 

nasties  had  risen,  flourished,  and  passed  away  before 
lie  appeared,  and  the  Hyksos,  or  Shepherd  Kings,  had 
held  the  land  for  over  five  hundred  years.  They  were 
now,  at  last,  driven  out,  and  Sesostris  was  left  free  to 
carry  out  his  ambitious  plans  as  a  great  conqueror. 
Passing  through  Palestine,  he  waged  a  successful  war 
with  the  Hittite  nations  of  Southern  Syria,  capturing 
their  chief  city,  north  of  the  chain  of  Lebanon,  and 
afterwards  blazoning  his  victories  in  a  vast  series  of 
bas-reliefs,  which  still  adorn  the  northern  wall  of  the 
great  hall  of  Karnac,  which  he  had  caused  to  be  built. 
The  glory  of  the  Pharaohs  cannot  be  better  realized 
than  from  these  wondrous  memorials,  in  which  the 
triumphant  monarch  is  drawn  of  gigantic  size,  lording 
it  over  all  other  men  as  a  being  more  than  mortal.  Was 
it  the  wealth  which  the  policy  of  Joseph  poured  into  his 
treasury,  to  which  his  military  enterprises,  or  his  splen- 
did architectural  works,  were  due  ?  With  a  nation 
universally  degraded  to  slavery  to  the  crown,  despotism 
had  all  the  resources  of  the  land  at  its  command. 
Certain  it  is  that,  from  this  date,  an  era  of  foreign  war 
and  conquest  began,  which  carried  the  arms  of  Egypt 
from  the  Nile  to  the  Tigris,  and  founded  a  vast  empire 
which  lasted  about  three  hundred  years. 

While  armies  thus  marched  and  countermarched,  the 
descendants  of  Jacob  were  peacefully  multiplying  in 
the  district  assigned  to  them  in  the  Lower  Delta.  In 
spite  of  the  exclusiveness  of  the  Egyptians,  to  whom 
foreigners  were  almost  as  hateful  as  they  afterwards 
were  to  the  Jews  themselves,  the  successive  generations 
of  the  patriarch  fathers  gradually  mingled  more  and 
more  with  the  people,  and  learned  to  copy  no  small  part 
of  their  religion.  The  golden  calf  of  after  days  may 
have  been  a  reproduction  of  one  of  the  sacred  bulls — 


80  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

most  likely  the  bull  Apis ;  though,  on  the  other  hand  it 
may  have  been  copied  from  the  idolatry  of  the  Euphrates 
Valley.  The  gods  Kemphan  and  Chiun_,  whose  shrines 
were  carried  by  the  tribes  through  their  wilderness 
journeys/  were  idols  adopted  from  the  Babylonian  Pan- 
theon; but  the  almost  ineradicable  tendency  of  the 
Hebrews  to  heathenism  makes  it  probable  that,  in  the 
end,  they  would  have  been  mingled  and  lost  in  the 
general  population  around  them  on  the  Nile,  but  for 
the  religious  reaction  induced  by  violent  oppression, 
and  ending  in  the  Exodus. 

The  Egyptians  were  a  race  standing  midway  between 
the  Caucasian  and  the  Negro,  and  largely  intermixed 
with  Arab  blood.  Very  religious  in  their  own  way,  but 
given  to  degrading  superstition,  they  were  marked  by 
many  virtues  and  by  perhaps  still  greater  vices.  Hos- 
pitable, respectful  to  women,  and  generally  frugal,  they 
were  nevertheless  sensual,  untruthful,  treacherous,  and 
cringing.  The  fond  recollections  of  Egypt  by  the 
Hebrews,  after  the  sense  of  oppression  had  passed  away, 
seems  to  imply  kindly  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the 
people,  as  distinct  from  the  government,  and  this  ap- 
pears to  be  further  implied  in  the  fact  that  an  Egyptian 
could  be  naturalized  as  a  Jew  in  the  third  generation.^ 

The  religion  of  the  country  was  a  strange  contrast  of 
the  pure  and  lofty  in  theory  and  the  degraded  and  foul 
in  practice.  The  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  belief  in 
future  rewards  and  punishments,  and,  consequently,  of 
man's  responsibility,  were  held  along  with  the  fetish 
worship,  common  to  all  tribes  of  even  partially  Nigritian 
origin.  Animals,  trees,  rivers,  and  hills  were  wor- 
shipped, and  special  mummy-pits  preserved  the  bodies 
of  sacred  cats,  monkeys,  oxen,  birds,  and  crocodiles. 
^  Amos  V.  26  ;  Acts  vii.  43.  '  Deut.  xxiii.  7, 8. 


PHAEAOH.  81 

Traces  of  tlie  primeval  religion  were,,  indeed,  retained 
in  the  very  conception  of  a  god  like  Ankh —  "  Him  who 
lives " ;  but  the  devotion  of  the  multitude  was  paid  to 
objects  so  contemptible,  that  even  the  heathen  Greek 
and  Roman  of  later  days  made  it  the  subject  of 
ridicule. 


Rameses  ll.—Lepsius. 

The  long  reign  of  Eameses  II.,  under  whom  Moses 
was  born,  saw  the  Israelite  colony  steadily  increasing, 
but  as  steadily  losing  all  that  was  best  in  their  national 
character.  It  was  the  grandest  period  in  Egyptian 
History.  Like  Sesostris,  Rameses  was  a  great  warrior, 
and  like  him  he  led  his  army  against  the  Hittites,  who 

a 


82  "  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

tlien  formed  a  powerful  kingdom^  and  may  liave  been 
connected  with,  tlie  hated  sliepherd-tribes,  who  had  so 
long  held  Egypt  under  their  power.  But  if  he  only 
imitated  his  predecessors  in  his  military  exploits^  he 
far  outshone  them  in  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  hia 
temples  in  Egypt  and  Nubia.  Joseph  had  long  been 
dead,  and  the  friendly  feeling  at  court  towards  his  race 
had  gradually  changed  to  one  of  alarm  at  the  increase 
of  a  people  so  warlike,  and  so  rigidly  distinct  from  the 
rest  of  the  nation,  though  within  its  borders.  The 
fears  of  conquest  by  pastoral  tribes  so  like  the  Hyksos, 
rose  to  a  deep-seated  alarm  on  the  part  of  the  king,  and 
measures  were  taken  to  break  their  spirit,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  protect  the  land  against  any  attempts  at 
revolution.  The  Egyptian  monuments,  and  especially 
the  papyrus  rolls,  are  filled  with  incidents  which  refer 
to  the  building  of  a  new  city — Pi-Eameses,  '^  the  town 
of  Rameses'^ — in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Jewish 
district — a  city  of  temples  dedicated  especially  to  the 
king  himself,  who  required  religious  worship  to  be  paid 
him.  Allusions  still  abound  to  the  stone  and  brick  work 
with  which,  to  finish  their  task  quickly,  the  workmen 
were  overburdened,  and  details  so  precise  and  special  are 
given,  that  it  is  impossible  not  to  recognise  in  them  the 
most  evident  connection  with  the  Bible  account  of  the 
hard  servitude  of  the  Hebrews,  on  the  occasion  of 
building  new  structures  required  at  Pithom — ^Hhe  town 
of  the  God  Tum,^^  or  Ankh — and  Pi-Rameses.^ 

It  was  in  the  town  of  Pi-Rameses,  or  Zoan-Tanis — 
founded  originally  ''  seven  years  before  (the)  Hebron  "  of 
Abraham,^  but  strengthened  and  beautified  by  Rameses 
II.  at  the  cost  of  the  enslaved  Hebrews — that  most  of 
the  events  of  the  stay  in  Egypt  and  of  the  Exodus 
»  Exod.  i.  11.  «  Num.  xiii.  22 


PHARAOH.  83 

happened.  A  sandy  plain,  at  the  present  day  sad  as  it 
is  vast,  still  recalls,  by  its  name  San,  the  remembrance 
of  the  sojourn  and  sufferings  of  Jacob's  descendants. 
It  is  covered  with  gigantic  ruins  of  columns,  pillars,  and 
obelisks,  statues,^  sphinxes,  tablets,  and  building  stones, 
all  cut  in  the  hardest  granite  of  Syene — brought  down 
the  long  course  of  the  Nile,  nearly  six  hundred  miles, 
to  the  nearest  landing,  and  dragged  thence  by  human 
strength  to  their  present  position.  So  grand  and  im- 
posing was  the  city  of  the  ''  plain  of  Zoan,"  where  God 
*^  wrought  his  signs  and  Avonders.^'  ^ 

It  was  this  town  that  Rameses  II.,  in  the  fifth  year 
of  his  reign,  entered  as  a  conqueror,  after  having 
gained  his  victories  over  the  Hittites  of  Upper  Pales- 
tine, and  where  he  concluded  a  treaty  of  peace  and 
alliance  with  them  six  j^ears  later.  On  the  plain  around, 
his  cavalry  and  troops  held  their  reviews,  and  here 
Rameses  preferred  to  reside,  issuing  from  its  palaces 
his  orders  to  the  officers  of  the  court,  and  receiving 
foreign  ambassadors  in  his  spacious  saloons.  It  was  the 
port  of  this  town,  crowded  with  Egyptian  and  Phoenician 
vessels,  that  gathered  to  itself  the  commerce  between 
Syria  and  Egypt.  Here  the  children  of  Israel  endured 
their  long  and  cruel  slavery,  of  which  the  huge  ruins, 
scattered  around,  are  the  memorials.  Here  Moses  per- 
formed his  miracles,  and  from  this  point  it  was  that  the 
thousands  whom  he  hastily  gathered  for  flight  began 
their  exodus  from  Egypt. 

Rameses  II.,  better  known  as  Miamun,  was  one  of 
the  greatest  of  the  Egyptian  kings,  and  raised  his 
country  to  the  highest  glory  it  ever  attained.    Herodotus 

^  Among  others,  the  remains  of  a  great  statue  of  Eameses  II., 
100  feet  high,  have  been  lately  discovered. 
'  Psalm  bcxviii.  43. 


84  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

and  Diodorus  relate  many  things  of  him  wliicli  help  us 
to  realize  the  position  of  Israel  under  his  rule.  He 
sailed  with  his  fleet  and  army  from  the  Red  Sea,  along 
the  coasts  of  the  Arabian  Sea,  and  made  great  con- 
quests. On  his  return  to  Egypt  he  set  forth  by  land, 
subduing  all  the  nations  that  came  in  his  way,  till  at 
length  he  crossed  from  Asia  to  Europe,  and  conquered 
the  Thracians  and  Scythians.  He  next  carried  his 
army  into  the  western  parts  of  Africa,  and  added  them 
to  his  empire.  Before  starting  on  this  enterprise,  he 
divided  Egypt  into  thirty-six  nomes  or  provinces,  ap- 
pointing a  governor  over  each.  His  forces  are  said  to 
have  numbered  600,000  foot,  24,000  horse,  and  27,000 
war  chariots,  and  his  fleet  on  the  Red  Sea  was  of  400 
sail.  In  the  Hebrew  district  in  the  Lower  Delta  he 
built  a  great  wall,  on  the  eastern  border,  to  protect  the 
country,  a  work  of  which  the  Bible  retains  a  record 
in  the  name  Shur,^  which  means  *^^a  wall,'^  and  in 
"  Etham,"  ^  the  Hebrew  rendering  of  the  Egyptian 
word  ^'  Khetam,^^  the  fortress  by  which  the  '^  wall "  was 
protected  on  the  north.  In  the  construction  of  all  these 
great  works  Rameses  employed  the  innumerable  cap- 
tives taken  in  his  wars,  and  oppressed  the  children  of 
Israel  till  their  lives  ^'  were  bitter  with  bondage  in  clay 
and  bricks,  and  in  all  kind  of  work  in  the  field,  and 
work  of  every  sort  besides."      ^^  They  built  for  Pharaoh, 

^  The  translation  of  the  word  *'  Shur  "  in  the  passages  where  it 
occurs  seems  often  preferable  to  the  retention  of  the  Hebrew. 
Thus  Hagar  was  found  "  by  the  fountain  on  the  way  to  The  Wall,'' 
her  anxiety  being  to  get  to  Egypt,  her  own  country  (Gen.  xvi.  7) ; 
Abraham  "  dwelled  between  Kadesh  and  The  Wall "  (Gen.  xx.  1) ; 
Ishmael's  descendants  "  dwelt  from  Havilah  to  The  Wall  that  is 
hefore  (east  of)  Egypt "  (Gen.  xxv.  18).  Other  passages  might  be 
added. 

*  Exod.  xiii.  20;  Num.  xxxiii.  6-8, 


PHAEAOH. 


85 


also,   store-cities/^    says   the    Scripture;    "Pithom  and 
Rameses."  ^ 

But  amidst  this  splendour  and  oppression,  a  child  of 
the  dreaded  race  had  been  born,  and  was  even  then 
being  trained  in  the  very  palace  of  Rameses,  who  was 
destined  to  shake  the  power  of  the  Egyptian  throne ;  to 
rouse  the  Hebrews  to  a  new  zeal  for  the  long-neglected 
religion  of  their  fathers ;  and  to  raise  them  from  slaves 
to  a  free  nation,  chosen  of  God  as  the  future  depositaries 
of  His  revelations  to  mankind. 

^  Exod.  i.  11-14  (from  the  Hebrew). 


WOKSKiPPEU    OF    THE 


Birch, 


PHARAOH'S    DAUGHTER. 


rinHE  proverbs  of  every  nation  liave  a  local  or 
JL  historical  colouring.  Tlie  deliverance  of  Isaac 
from  death  originated  the  saying,  ^^In  the  mount  of 
Jehovah  it  will  be  seen_," — which  is  equivalent  to  our 
form,  '^  Man's  extremity  is  God's  opportunity."  In  the 
same  way  it  became  a  Jewish  proverb,  which  is  still  in 
use,  "  When  the  tale  ^  of  bricks  is  doubled,  then  comes 
Moses." 

No  prospect  could  have  been  darker  for  any  people 
than  that  of  the  Israelites  in  the  reign  of  Kameses  II. 
Though  some  doubtless  enjoyed  comparative  advantages 
by  being  engaged  in  the  higher  industries,  it  was  still 
only  as  slaves.  Bezaleel^  '^  (The  man)  under  the  shadow 
(or  protection)  of  God,"  and  Aholiab,  "  The  Tent  of 
his  father,"  the  one  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  other 
of  that  of  Dan,  must  have  been  only  representatives 
of  many,  trained  like  them,  in  Egyptian  factories,  ''  to 
work  in  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass;  in  cutting  and 
setting  stones,  in  carving  timber,  in  weaving  and  em- 
broidering all  descriptions  of  texture,  and,  generally, 
in  all  manner  of  workmanship."  ^  But  the  mass  of  the 
nation   were   field    labourers,    liable   to    be    impressed 

^  From  the  Anglo-Saxon  Talean,  "to  reckon,  to  tell.'* 
2  Exod.  xxxi.  4  ff. 

66 


Pharaoh's  daughter.  87 

for  tlie  heavy  toil  of  great  public  works.  Human  life, 
under  such  a  despotism,  was  of  no  value,  and  Rameses, 
doubtless,  was  only  an  earlier  type  of  Egyptian  rulers 
like  Mebemet  Ali,  who,  in  excavating  the  Mahmoudieh 
canal,  compelled  150,000  miserable  fellahs  to  dig  it  out 
without  wages,  and  oven  without  spades.  Their  hands 
were  their  only  tools.  That  30,000  died  of  exhaustion 
under  their  "  task  masters  ^^  was  of  no  account  against 
the  fact  that  the  whole  excavation  was  completed  in 
a  single  year.^ 

To  secure  the  weakening  of  the  dreaded  Hebrews, 
Rameses  had  issued  a  temporary  edict,  commanding  the 
destruction  of  the  male  infants  of  Jewish  mothers.  Just 
then  one  of  them  bore  a  son,  whose  beauty  the  fond 
legends  of  later  times  described  as  so  great  that  all 
who  saw  it  stood  to  look  at  him,  and  labourers  left 
their  work  to  steal  a  glance.  The  mass  of  the  Israelites 
had  forgotten  the  religion  of  their  patriarchal  fore- 
fathers, and  had  turned  to  the  idolatry  of  the  Egypt- 
ians, "  but  the  parents  of  the  wondrous  infant  bore  in 
their  names — Amram,  ''  Kindred  of  the  Lofty  One,"  ^ 
and  Jochebed,  ^'  (She)  whose  glory  is  Jehovah,"  the 
witness  to  their  fidelity  to  the  God  of  their  fathers.  In 
"  Jochebed,"  indeed,  so  far  as  is  known,  was  the  first 
incorporation  of  the  sacred  word  ^^ Jehovah"  with  a 
Hebrew  name. 

What  to  do  with  the  child  was  hard  to  tell,  but 
faith  in  God  forbade  compliance  with  the  command  of 
Pharaoh,  to  put  him  to  death.*     For  three  months  the 

1  Stephen's  Incidents,  vol.  i.  p.  22. 

2  Josh.  xxiv.  2-14;  Ezek.  xx.  8. 

3  So  Gesenius.  Fiirst  makes  it  "  God  is  great;"  Beer,  "The 
great  race,"  in  allusion  to  the  tribe  of  Levi,  which  sprang  from 
Amram.  '  *  Heb.  xi.  23. 


88  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES 

household  braved  the  edict,  and  hid  his  l/irth^  hut  it 
was  impossible  to  do  so  permanently.  The  only  hope 
of  the  babe's  life  seemed  to  lie  in  contriving  a  tender 
appeal  to  some  humane  heart_,  that  might  induce  it  to 
adopt  a  creature  so  lovel}^. 

The  plan  followed  was  ingeniously  romantic.  A 
cradle  of  papyrus  stems  and  leaves  was  woven  together, 
and  carefully  pitched,  to  make  it  float  safely  and  dry. 
An  arched  cover  was  contrived,  to  screen  it  above,  and 
soft  foldings  were  put  within,  to  make  a  fitting  nest. 
In  this  the  little  child  was  placed,  and  the  ''  ark  "  was 
then  laid  carefully  in  the  reedy  shallow  of  one  of  the 
Nile  canals  to  float  slowly  down  with  the  stream.  Near 
at  hand,  the  infant's  sister,  Miriam — she  from  whom 
the  world  has  borrowed  the  name  *^  Mary " — herself 
a  child,  but  bright  and  ready,  watched  the  precious 
casket. 

Amram  lived  not  far  from  the  palace  of  Rameses,  in 
the  city  called  after  him,  and  to  this,  under  Providence, 
the  child's  life  and  wondrous  future  were  owing.  The 
fact  of  his  rescue  and  adoption  by  the  daughter  of  the 
great  king  is  given  in  Scripture,  but  we  must  turn  to 
tradition  for  details.  Eameses,  it  is  said,  had  then  only 
one  child,  a  daughter,  who  was  heiress  to  the  throne, 
according  to  Egyptian  law,  and  though  married,  she 
had  no  child.  The  Rabbis  have  invented  for  her  the 
name  Bithia,  "  the  daughter  of  Jehovah,^'  but  Josephus 
gives  her  Egyptian  name  as  Thermuthis.  Coming  with 
her  female  slaves  to  the  canal  to  bathe,  she  noticed  the 
floating  cradle,  and  caused  it  to  be  brought  ashore  to 
her,  when,  lo,  on  opening  it,  a  weeping  babe  spoke 
by  its  trouble  to  her  womanly  heart.  A  divine  light, 
the  Rabbis  say,  shone  from  his  face,  and  his  size  and 
beauty  riveted  the  eyes  of  the  princess. 


PHAEAOH*S  DAUGHTER.  89 

Meanwhile  his  sister  Miriam  liad  approaclied,  as  if 
by  chance,  and  found  Bithia  in  deep  perplexity  what 
to  do.  Fearing  that  her  father  would  not  suffer  the 
child,  which  was  evidently  of  the  Hebrew  race,  to 
be  taken  into  the  palace,  she  sent  one  of  her  maids 
to  ask  if  any  of  the  women  near  could  take  it  to 
nurse,  but  none  of  them  would  venture  to  brave  the 
king's  wrath.  The  Almighty,  says  the  tradition,  had 
ordered  it  thus,  to  have  the  child  taken  to  its  mother 
again,  that  no  Egyptian  woman  might  be  able  to  boast 
that  she  had  fed  from  her  bosom  "  the  Elect,"  who  was 
hereafter  to  speak  to  God  face  to  face. 

At  the  suggestion  of  Miriam  the  princess  at  last 
directed  that  a  Hebrew  woman  should  be  got  to  nurse 
the  baby,  and  with  quick  insight,  the  damsel  forthwith 
brought  her  mother,  who  had  the  unspeakable  joy  of 
receiving  her  child  again,  under  the  protection  of  the 
all-powerful  daughter  of  him  who  had  sought  his  life. 
^'  He  shall  be  called  Mo-ushe,'^  said  the  princess,  '^  for 
he  was  saved  out  of  the  water.''  ^ 

From  this  time,  for  many  years,  Moses  was  virtually 
an  Egyptian,  and  he  would  perhaps  have  remained  so 
through  life  but  for  the  strange  connection  established, 
undesignedly,  by  the  princess  herself,  between  him  and 
his  mother.  God  has  seldom  given  the  world  men 
famous  in  His  service  except  from  godly  mothers,  and 
the  case  of  Moses  was  no  exception,  for  his  future 
life  shows,  with  a  sacred  light,  that  ^'  Jehovah  "  was, 
indeed,  "her  glory,"  as  her  name  proclaimed.  As  his 
nurse  she  would  have  access  to  him  through  all  his 
childhood.  Weaning  did  not  take  place  till  an  infant 
was  two  or  three  years  old,  and  in  rich  households  the 
mother,  who  in  this  instance  would  assuredly  be  re- 
*  Egyptian  :  J/o,  "  water;  "  ushe,  "  saved." 


90  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

presented  by  the  supposed  ^^  nurse/'  liad  the  further 
training  of  a  boy  till  he  was  old  enough  to  be  put 
under  the  care  of  a  special  tutor.  How  faithfully  and 
wisely  must  Jochebed  have  moulded  the  heart  of  her 
son  in  these  tender  years^  to  make  him  the  earnest 
and  unswerving  servant  of  Jehovah  he  became,  not 
only  amidst  the  temptations  and  example  of  universal 
idolatry,  but  in  the  palace  of  the  great  king,  who,  as 
such,  was  the  high  priest  of  the  Egyptian  religion. 

Tradition,  supported  in  this  case  by  the  sure  word  of 
the  New  Testament,  relates  that  Bithia,  delighted  with 
having  rescued  so  fair  an  innocent,^  wished  to  adopt 
him  formally  as  her  son,  and  thus  incorporate  him  with 
the  royal  blood,  and  make  him  the  possible  heir  of  the 
throne  of  Egypt.^  According  to  Josephus  she  put  him 
one  day,  when  he  was  three  years  old,  into  her  father's 
arms,  and  he,  to  please  her,  set  the  crown  on  the  child's 
head,  but  Moses  threw  it  off,  and,  springing  down,  trod 
on  it.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  though  recording 
no  marvellous  legends  like  this,  relates  that  even  when 
'^  he  was  come  to  years  he  refused  to  be  called  the  son 
of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  choosing  rather  to  suffer  afflic- 
tion with  the  people  of  God  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures 
of  sin  for  a  season ;  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ 
greater  riches "  than  the  accumulated  wealth  and 
unique  splendour  of  what  was  then  the  first  empire  of 
the  world.^ 

How  great  a  sacrifice  the  deliberate  choice  of  his  own 
race  in  preference  to  becoming  an  Egyptian  involved, 
can  hardly  be  realized.    His  kind  patroness  had  lavished 

^  Stephen  says  that  the  infant  Moses  was  "  exceeding  fair ;  " 
or,  as  De  Wette  translates  it,  "  beautiful  before  God  "  (Acts  vii. 
20). 

*  Joseph.,  Antiii.y  II.  9,  6,  7.  *  Heb.  xi.  24-26. 


phaeaoh's  daughter.  91 

on  him  all  the  advantages  of  her  grand  position  as 
daughter  of  the  mighty  Rameses.  From  his  infancy  he 
had  grown  up  amidst  a  gorgeous  courts  in  a  splendid 
palace,  the  object  of  universal  flattery  and  honour  as 
the  adopted  son  of  the  heiress  apparent.  As  he  grew 
older  she  had  him  trained  ''  in  all  the  wisdom  ^'  ^  of  her 
nation,  then,  and  for  ages  iafter,  the  first  in  the  world 
for  culture.  Under  the  Egyptian  name  of  Osarsiph,  he 
is  said  to  have  been  made  a  priest  of  the  great  temple 
of  On,  the  chief  university  of  the  age,  and  there  to  have 
been  taught  the  whole  range  of  existing  science  and 
literature.  No  one  who  looks  at  the  stately  ruins  which 
yet  cover  the  Nile  valley,  or  at  the  pictorial  records 
still  preserved  on  their  walls,  can  fail  to  realize  that 
civilization  and  knowledge  had  already  made  amazing 
advances  in  at  least  some  directions,  and  their  best 
treasures  were  at  his  command.  His  capacious  mind 
received,  in  fact,  every  aid  to  its  fullest  development 
that  wealthy  a  great  position,  and  the  most  perfect 
education  of  the  day  could  give,  till,  as  Stephen  ex- 
presses it,  he  "  was  mighty  in  words  and  in  deeds. ^^  ^ 

Reared  as  the  favourite  of  the  palace,  and,  as  such, 
destined  to  the  greatest  fortunes,  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  tradition  is  correct  in  assigning  to  Moses,  as 
he  grew  to  manhood,  foremost  dignities  in  the  State. 
High  military  commands,  it  is  said,  were  entrusted  to 
him  ;  and  his  deeds  were  worthy  of  his  reputation.  All 
that  the  world  could  give,  in  fact,  lay  at  his  feet,  had 
he  chosen  to  accept  it  at  the  price  of  denying  his  re- 
ligion and  his  race. 

But  the  lessons  of  his  mother,  and  the  instincts  of 
his  mind  and  heart,  kindled  a  very  different  ambition. 
According  to  Egyptian  tradition,  although  a  priest  of 
»  Acts  vii.  22.  2  Ihid. 


92 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


On,  he  always  performed  liis  prayers,  in  keeping  with 
tlie  customs  of  liis  fathers,  outside  the  walls,  towards  the 
east.  Amidst  the  pomp  and  splendour  of  palaces,  his 
heart  wandered  to  the  wretched  cabins  of  his  oppressed 
and  suffering  race.  His  patriotism  grew  with  his  years, 
till  it  became  a  passion  only  inferior  in  his  soul  to  his 
devotion  to  the  religion  of  his  forefathers. 

How  long  Bithia  lived,  or  whether  she  listened  to  the 
secret  pleadings  of  her  adopted  son,  who  owed  so  much 
to  her,  and  accepted  from  him  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God,  is  not  known.  It  is  likely  that  she  survived 
till  his  ripe  manhood  ;  for  at  ^^  full  forty  ''  years  of  age, 
he  was  still  living  among  the  Egyptians  as  one  of  them, 
apparently  in  the  full  sunshine  of  the  court.  But  a 
visit  he  then  paid  to  the  wretched  homes  of  his  brethren 
abruptly  dissipated  all  the  dreams  she  had  ever 
cherished  of  his  future  destiny.  Unable  to  repress  his 
indignation  at  the  shameful  treatment  of  one  of  his 
race  by  an  Egyptian,  he  struck  down  the  assailant,  and 
hid  his  body  in  the  sand  which  then,  as  now,  fringed 
the  cultivated  soil.  Dread  of  arrest,  however,  made 
further  stay  in  Egypt  impossible,  and  he  fled  to 
"  Midian '' — breaking  off  for  ever  his  connection  with 
Rameses  and  his  gracious  daughter. 


A  Lady  wiTn  her  Attendants  ly  the  Batii. 


MOSES. 

BROUGHT  up  in  the  court  of  tlie  great  Eameses 
II.,  Moses^  to  all  outward  appearance,  became 
entirely  Egyptian.  The  favour  of  Bithia,  or  Merrhis, 
the  king's  only  daughter  and  presumptive  heir,  made 
his  life  in  these  early  years  one  long,  unclouded  summer 
morning,  for  all  that  wealth  and  power  could  command 
were  at  his  service.  At  the  University  Temple  of  Zoan, 
or  Heliopolis,  every  advantage  of  the  highest  culture 
of  the  age  was  put  at  his  disposal.  It  was  the  Oxford 
of  Ancient  Egypt,  the  foremost  of  the  priestly  colleges 
of  the  land,  those  of  Memphis  and  Thebes  standing 
only  in  a  secondary  rank.  Its  high  functionaries  were 
the  great  personages  of  the  State,  after  Pharaoh,  and 
bore  the  flattering  title  of  "  The  good  and  fair."  King 
Sethos  had  set  the  power  of  Joseph  on  a  firm  basis  in 
marrying  him  to  Asenath,  the  high-priest's  daughter, 
for  it  was  his  admission  into  the  supreme  aristocracy 
of  Egypt. 

Hither  the  young  Moses  was  duly  sent  for  his  uni- 
versity career.  The  great  temple  dedicated  to  the  sun, 
had  owed  its  foundation  to  the  '^  Spring  of  the  Sun," 
which  welled  up  on  the  spot,  a  grateful  fountain  in  such 
a  country,  but  famous  then,  besides,  for  the  healing 
powers    ascribed    to     it,    and    noted     even    yet    as   the 


94  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAKACTERS. 

sweetest  spring-water  of  the  land.  Nebucliadnezzar, 
in  after  years,  struck  down  the  glory  of  this  "  Beth 
Shemesh/'  or  ''  House  of  the  Sun/^  ^  and  Cambyses 
finally  destroyed  both  the  temple  and  the  town  which  had 
gTo^vn  up  round  it.  It  must  have  been  a  glorious  place 
when  Moses  listened  to  the  lectures  of  its  priestly  pro- 
fessors on  astronomy  and  philosophy^  lectures  so  famous 
that  even  Plato  came  to  attend  them  a  thousand  years 
later.  It  was  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Goshen, 
the  district  assigned  to  the  Hebrews^  and  lay  on  a  great 
canal  which  led  the  waters  of  the  Nile  to  north-eastern 
Egypt.  Both  temple  and  town  were  built  on  an  arti- 
ficial mound_,  to  save  them  from  inundation  by  the  Nile. 
On  the  north  side  stood  the  town_,  on  the  south  the 
temple.  An  avenue  of  colossal  sphinxes  led  to  the 
huge  gateways  of  the  latter,  surrounded  by  huge  flag- 
staffs,  from  which  floated  blue  and  red  streamers. 
Lofty  obelisks  of  polished  red  granite  stood  in  pairs 
before  the  temple  and  within  its  courts,  in  keeping 
with  the  worship  of  the  sun-god  whose  rays  were  sym- 
bolized by  both  obelisks  and  pyramids.  One  alone 
remains,  fifty-eight  feet  high,  covered  with  hiero- 
glyphics, but  in  the  days  of  Moses  there  were  two 
raised  by  the  son  of  Sesostris,  which  cast  their  shadows 
from  amidst  a  crowd  of  others,  from  a  height  of  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

Round  the  cloisters  of  the  vast  painted  courts  to 
which  all  this  magnificence  led,  were  the  mansions  and 
lecture  halls  of  the  priests,  philosophers,  canons,  and 
professors  of  the  famous  sanctuary,  and  in  these  shady 
and  luxurious  retreats  Moses  spent  many  happy  years, 
first  as  pupil,  then  as  colleague  of  the  learned  cor- 
poration. Egyptians  knew  him  only  as  Osarsiph,  or 
'  Jer.  xHii.  13. 


MOSES.  95 

Tisitlies — ^'  The  priest  of  Osiris,"  i  the  sun-god, — and 
fancied,  no  doubt,  as  lie  passed  before  them  in  his  pure 
white  priestly  robe,  that  he  had  no  dream  of  anything 
beyond  their  own  idolatry. 

But,  meanwhile,  the  misery  of  his  nation  had  gone 
on  increasing.  The  Egyptian  peasants  of  our  own  day 
chant  sad  refrains  against  their  oppressors  as  they  toil 
in  the  fields,  or  at  the  shadoofs  for  irrigation : — "  The 
chief  of  the  village,  the  chief  of  the  villag-e,  may  the 
dogs  tear  him,  may  the  dogs  tear  him !  "  or,  "  They 
starve  us,  they  starve  us,  they  beat  us,  they  beat  us  ! " 
to  which  there  rises  an  antiphony,  "  But  there's  some 
one  above,  there's  some  one  above,  who  will  punish 
them  well,  who  will  punish  them  well."  ^  Things  were 
evidently  much  the  same  then,  and  Moses  noted  them 
with  a  heart  in  which  the  love  of  his  people  was  fast 
rising  to  a  supreme  passion.  His  early  training  by  his 
godly  mother  had  fixed  his  character  from  his  boy- 
hood. 

That  he  should  have  been  able,  with  his  strong  feel- 
ings, to  suppress  all  outward  show  of  them  during  his 
early  manhood,  reveals  the  power  of  self-control,  and 
of  patient  waiting  for  the  right  time,  which  mark  a 
great  mind.  He  was  known  by  his  brethren  as  a  Jew 
at  court.  His  name  was  whispered  in  all  their  slave 
huts  with  vague  expectations.      But  the  hour  had  not 

^  Tisithes  was  another  name  for  Osiris,  though,  primarily, 
that  of  Sirius,  the  dog-star — the  brightest  star  in  the  heavens. 
It  would  require  400  of  our  suns  to  send  as  bright  a  light  from 
the  same  distance  as  this  one  star  yields.  In  keeping  with  their 
wild  fancies,  the  Eabbis  maintained  that  the  name  Tisithes 
alluded  to  the  transmigration  of  the  soul  of  Seth  into  the  body 
of  Moses,  to  give  the  law,  "  which  men  had  forgotten,"  through 
him. 

'  Nassau  Senior';*  MS.  Joarnnl  of  a  Stay  in  Egijiit,  1856. 


96  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

come.  To  liave  sympatliised  witli  tlieni  openly  would 
have  been  fatal  botli  to  tlieni  and  himself.  God  was 
training  liim  as  tlieir  future  deliverer^  tliougli  lie  did 
not  know  it.  He  was  getting  a  tliorougli  insight  into 
the  religion^  manners,,  and  life  of  Egypt ;  he  was  being 
brought  into  contact  with  her  greatest  men,  and  learn- 
ing all  the  secrets  of  statecraft  in  the  chambers  of 
Pharaoh  himself.  The  fullest  knowledge  of  mankind, 
and  of  religious,  political,  and  social  science,  were  neces- 
sary for  the  future  founder  of  a  nation,  and  premature 
action  would  have  broken  off  his  training  in  them  at 
once. 

But,  though  outwardly  reserved,  he  had  long  chosen 
his  part.  With  a  magnanimity  which  is  almost  im- 
possible to  realize,  he  had  deliberately  resolved  to  cast 
in  his  lot  with  his  own  race — to  suffer  with  them,  to  dry 
their  tears,  to  free  them  at  any  cost  to  himself,  rather 
than  share  the  splendour  wrung  from  them  by  the 
tyrant  in  Avliose  halls  a  strange  providence  had  fixed 
his  home.  Fear  had  no  power  to  keep  him  back ;  and 
even  royal  prosperity  could  not  seduce  him  from  his 
grand  self-sacrifice  of  patriotism  and  faith. 

At  last,  when  he  was  forty  years  of  age,  a  sudden 
outburst  of  irrepressible  indignation  at  an  Egyptian 
taskmaster,  who  was  maltreating  a  Hebrew,  ^  changed 
his  whole  life.  The  oppressor  fell  dead  before  him ; 
and  though  he  was  hurriedly  buried  in  the  desert-sands 

1  Likely  by  the  bastinado,  which  is  constantly  seen  in  use  on 
the  ancient  monuments.  The  hasty  burial  in  the  sand  prevented 
embalming  and  thus  destroyed  the  possibility  of  the  body  await- 
ing, intact,  the  day  of  resurrection.  But  those  only  hoped  to  rise 
again  whose  bodies  were  thus  preserved,  and  hence  to  prevent 
embalming  was  in  effect  to  take  away  the  hope  of  the  future 
life.  This  made  the  crime  of  Moses  especially  abhorrent  to  the 
Egyptian  mind. 


MOSES.  97 

clos6  hjj  the  act  left  no  choice  to  Moses  but  flight — for 
it  was  speedily  bruited  through  the  Hebrew  villages. 
The  direction  he  took  marked  his  character.  Passing 
along  the  one  road  on  the  north,  from  Egypt  to  the  east, 
— the  narrow  ridge  of  sand  between  the  Mediterranean 
and  the  Serbonian  gulf — he  turned  to  the  south,  after 
passing  through  the  Great  Wall,  at  Pelusium,  and  fled 
to  the  Arab  tribes  of  the  peninsula  of  Sinai,  among 
whom  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  was  still  pre- 
served, as  it  had  been  in  Canaan  by  Melchisedek  in  the 
days  of  Abraham. 

Somewhere  in  the  mountainous  valleys  of  Sinai  and 
Horeb,^  the  seven  daughters  of  an  Arab  sheik,  "the 
priest  of  Midian," — as  sheiks  still  are  of  their  encamp- 
ments or  tribes,^ — were  tending  their  father's  flocks  ; 
for  Arabs  even  yet  think  it  below  their  dignity  to  do 
any  work,  and  leave  their  sheep  to  the  care  of  their 
wives  and  daughters,  or  slaves.^  Like  Jacob  at  Padan 
Aram,  Moses,  still  dressed  as  an  Egyptian,  hastened  to 
aid  them  in  their  laborious  task  ;  and  further  earned 
their  favour  by  defending  them  from  some  shepherds, 
who  Avere  disposed  to  trouble  them.  An  introduction 
to  their  father,  and  an  engagement  in  his  service, 
having  naturally  followed,  the  courtier  and  possible 
heir  of  Rameses  silently  descended  to  the  post  of  a 
shepherd.  His  master's  name  was  Jethro — "The 
chief  j  "  or  rather  Reu-el — "  One  that  fears  God  "  * — 
a  proof  that  the  wanderer  had  chosen  his  retreat  in  a 
district  where  his  faith  was  in  honour.     As  in  the  case 

'  The  meaning  of  the  name  of  "  Sinai  "  is  unknown.     That  of 
"  Horeb  "  is  "  The  dry,  the  desert." 
2  Eobinson's  Palestine,  vol.  ii.  p.  402. 
■  Burkhardt's  Syria,  p.  858, 
*  Exod.  ii.  18. 

B 


98  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

of  Jacob,  marriage  to  a  daughter  of  tlie  house  ere  long 
followed ;  and  Zipporah — ''  The  little  bird  ^' — became 
his  wife.  Two  sons  blessed  the  union — Gersbom — "The 
child  of  the  driven-out  man";  and  Eliezer — "For  the 
God  of  my  fathers  is  my  help."  ^ 

For  many  years — forty,  in  the  belief  of  the  later 
Jews  ^ — Moses  now  passes  from  view.  It  was  well  he 
should  have  the  stillness  and  retirement  of  the  desert 
to  ripen  his  long-brooding  thoughts  of  the  possible 
deliverance  of  his  people  by  his  hands.  He  would  learn 
the  free  life  of  the  wilderness,  and  the  deep  hatred  of 
Egypt  in  the  hearts  of  the  tribes  among  whom  his  lot 
was  cast.  But  the  task  was  heavy  and  difficult  beyond 
conception,  and  the  self-distrust  of  modest  greatness 
shrank  from  attempting  it.  It  was  in  these  years,  how- 
ever, beyond  question,  that  he  revolved  and  elaborated 
many  points  of  his  future  scheme  as  the  Lawgiver  and 
Prophet  of  his  nation,  for  Grod  had  chosen  him  as  His 
servant,  to  work  their  deliverance,  and  was  slowly 
fitting  him  for  the  mighty  work.  At  last  a  mysterious 
vision  brought  the  second  stage  in  his  life  to  a  close, 
and  led  him  to  assume  the  part  for  which  all  his 
previous  history  had  been  designed  to  train  him.  He 
had  led  his  flock  to  the  depths  of  the  solemn  valleys 
where  Sinai  and  Horeb  rise  in  awful  grandeur,  bare  and 
stern,  when  suddenly,  close  at  hand,  a  clump  of  the 
thorny  bushes  that  sprinkle  the  lower  edge  of  these 
awful  heights  appeared  as  if  burning,  and  yet,  as  he 
gazed,  it  remained  unharmed.  No  fitter  symbol  of 
Israel  under  God^s  protection,  even  in  Egyptian  bondage, 
could  have  been  found,  and  now  a  voice  made  clear  that 
it  was  no  mere  natural  wonder,  but  a  sign  of  the  present 
God. 

^  Exod.  xviii.  3,  4.  »  Act,-)  vii.  30. 


MOSES.  99 

Tlie  character  of  Moses  receives  vivid  illustration 
from  what  followed.  Commissioned  by  the  Almighty 
to  undertake  the  deliverance  of  His  people,  he  draws 
back  in  humble  unwillingness  to  venture  on  so  great  a 
task.  If  possible  he  will  be  excused_,  and  urges  one 
reason  after  another.  At  last  a  leprous  hand,  another 
symbol  of  the  results  of  Egyptian  bondage,  leaves  no 
room  for  further  question,  but  he  still  falls  back  on  his 
want  of  natural  eloquence  to  persuade  the  multitude, 
entreating,  ^^Lord,  send  by  whom  Thou  wilt,  but  only 
not  by  me  !  ^^    , 

Yet,  when  the  command  is  imperative,  there  is  no 
further  shrinking.  The  new  name  of  God — I  A^I — 
then  given,  becomes  his  over-mastering  thought  hence- 
forth. He  accepts  the  responsibilities  of  his  high  duty, 
and  henceforth  lives  only  as  the  mouthpiece  of  Jehovah. 

What  it  involved  to  bring  about  the  exodus  we  can 
only  faintly  imagine.  The  opposition  of  a  mighty  king — 
for  though  Rameses  was  dead,  and  his  successor  was  a 
weak  and  wicked  man,  Egypt  was  still  a  great  kingdom 
— the  dull  insensibility  of  those  for  whom  he  was 
labouring ;  the  dread  of  increasing  their  sufferings  by 
his  attempts  to  end  them;  the  apprehension,  soon 
realized,  that  the  immediate  result  would  rouse  even 
his  countrymen,  for  whom  he  was  daring  all,  against 
him ;  the  long*  consuming  struggle  against  misconcep- 
tion, distrust,  and  the  slave-vices  of  a  degraded  race ; 
the  stupendous  difficulty  of  rousing  their  long  dormant 
religious  instincts,  which  alone  would  make  the  move- 
ment national  and  worthy,  might  well  have  overwhelmed 
him.  But  he  triumphed,  by  God^s  help,  in  the  end,  and 
Israel  encamped  in  the  very  solitudes  which  the  burning 
bush  had  sanctified — a  free  nation. 

Henceforth  the  character  of  Moses  divides  itself  into 


100  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

that  of  a  lieader  of  his  people^  and  the  Founder  of  its 
religion  and  social  and  political  constitution.  Into  the 
details  of  his  course  in  these  different  aspects  we  cannot 
enter.  As  Leader  of  Israel^  he  guided  them  wisely  and 
safely  through  forty  years  to  the  edge  of  Canaan.  The 
long  sojourn  in  the  desert  was  needed  to  train  them  for 
separate  life  in  their  own  land.  As  the  Founder  of 
their  religion,  he  gave  them  a  creed  which,  in  the 
course  of  ages,  prepared  for  the  perfect  revelation  of 
Bethlehem  and  Nazareth.  Its  one  central  conception  of 
the  living'  God,  the  Father — the  Protector — the  Judge — 
ever  present — was  itself  the  sublimest  gift  ever  received 
by  man,  till  the  still  greater  gift  of  the  teachings  of 
Jesus  Christ.  His  social  and  political  system  gradually 
formed  a  nation  which  has  maintained  itself  as  such  for 
nearly  three  thousand  five  hundred  years,  and  it  is  still 
in  its  fundamental  principles,  as  far  as  circumstances 
allow,  their  law  over  the  earth. 

No  figure  of  ancient  history  stands  out  so  grandly, 
because  no  one  else  is  so  surrounded  by  the  splendour 
of  a  constantly  recognised  Divine  presence.  But  even 
in  other  ways  elements  of  character  display  themselves 
which  command  our  homage  and  admiration.  He  was 
the  meekest  of  men,  not  perhaps  in  his  being  free  from 
sudden  accessions  of  feeling  and  correspondent  action, 
but  in  the  long  patient  endurance  implied  in  the  creation 
of  a  free  people  from  a  corrupted  and  sunken  population 
of  slaves.  To  educate  and  mould  tlie  character  of  a 
nation,  presumes  a  grand  character  in  him  who  effects 
it.  The  strength  of  purpose  and  firmness  to  principle, 
which  sacrificed  the  greatest  prospects  to  the  good  of 
his  race ;  the  utter  unselfishness  of  his  devotion  to  them 
till  death ;  his  freedom  from  ambition,  shown  in  his 
founding  no  dynasty,  but  leaving  his  sons  mere  citizens, 


MOSES. 


101 


soon  to  be  lost  in  tlie  multitude ;  liis  majestic  tenacity 
of  purpose  tlirougli  all  discouragements,  and  his  unique 
success  in  liis  amazing  enterprise,  mark  him  as  one 
of  the  greatest  of  men  who  ever  lived, — perhaps  the 
greatest. 


AifCiEifT  Egtptiah-  Garden  ;— wit?i,  Vineuard  and  Trees,  Fish  PoikJs,  JTowse,  etc. 
A  Canal  flows  past,  outside. 


AAEON. 

AARON,  or,  more  correctly,  Ataron,  was  the  elder 
brother  of  Moses  by  about  three  years,  and  though 
far  below  him  in  grandeur  of  character,  takes,  with  him, 
the  first  place  among  the  founders  of  the  Hebrew  nation. 

Amidst  all  their  oppression  the  Israelites  had  main- 
tained their  tribal  constitution,  and  had  even  organized 
a  special  internal  government  under  "  elders  '' — a  name, 
as  we  shall  hereafter  see,  given,  in  common,  to  the 
heads  of  whole  tribes,  and  also  of  their  subdivisions. 
The  two  illustrious  brothers  were  of  the  family  of 
Levi,  and  ranked  among  the  aristocracy  of  their  race. 
Amram,  their  father,  was  a  grandson  of  the  founder  of 
his  tribe,  and  Aaron,  who  was  known  among  his  people 
as  its  representative,^  married  the  daughter  of  the 
prince  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.^  It  seems  hard,  moreover, 
to  understand  the  deference  at  once  paid  to  Moses  and 
him,  alike  by  Pharaoh  and  their  own  brethren,  except 
on  the  ground  that  they  seemed  to  both  the  natural 
leaders  of  the  nation. 

The  condition  of  Egypt  at  the  close  of  the  long  reign 
of  Rameses  II.  was  favourable  for  an  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  slave  population  to  gain  their  liberty.  Be- 
sides the  Hebrews,  there  were  multitudes  of  difi'erent 

1  Exod.  iv.  14.  2  Exod.  vi.  23;  Euth  iv.  19. 

102 


AARON. 


103 


nationalities  wlio  liad  been  brouglit  to  the  country  as 
prisoners  of  war,  and,  as  usual,  had  been  reduced  to 
servitude. 

The  great  king  had  reigned  over  sixty-six  years,  and 
had  maintained  his  glory  to  the  last,  yet  Egypt  had 
already  begun  to  decline.  The  kingdoms  of  Asia  were 
becoming  too  powerful  for  it  to  resist  them,  and  so  large 
an  Asiatic  population  had  been  introduced  into  the 
Delta,  by  the  importation  of  prisoners  of  war,  that  it  was 
visibly  affecting  the  native 
race  and  its  religion. 

Menephtah,  the  successor 
of  Eameses,  was  his  thirteenth 
son,  all  his  elder  brothers  hav- 
ing died  during  his  father's 
life.  It  may  be  that  their 
death  was  the  source  of  the 
traditions  respecting  the  in- 
tended adoption  of  Moses,  the 
favourite  of  the  great  king's 
daughter,  into  the  line  of 
succession.  But  another  son 
had  risen  and  had  survived,  Menephtah. 

and  naturally  succeeded  to  the  throne. 

It  was  the  peculiarity  of  Egypt  that  it  often  passed 
rapidly  from  the  highest  prosperity  to  deep  depression. 
Rameses  had  foreseen  impending  dangers  before  his 
death,  and  to  guard  against  them  had  removed  many  of 
his  Asiatic  prisoners  to  the  south,  replacing  them  with 
negro  slaves  in  the  north.  '^  Pithom  and  Rameses," 
which  the  Hebrews  were  forced  to  build,  were  not  only 
store  cities,  but  fortresses,  to  protect  the  great  wall 
he  had  raised  from  Pelusium  to  Heroopolis,  for  the 
defence  of  the  exposed  eastern  side  of  Egypt,  against 


104  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Asiatic  races  j  and  bricks  of  sun-dried  clay  and  straw, 


stamped   witli   his    name^    still   illustrate    tlie    ^^  heavy 
service  "  exacted,  as  the  Book  of  Exodus  describes. 


AAEON.  105 

The  ferment  and  uneasiness  long  gathering  in  the 
huge  servile  population,  speedily  showed  itself  in  open 
revolt  after  the  death  of  Rameses.  The  Delta  was  in  a 
flame  of  insurrection,  and  it  was  necessary  to  remove 
the  capital  to  Memphis,  in  its  midst,  to  keep  down  the 
struggling  myriads,  and  also  to  guard  against  any 
attempt  to  aid  them  from  either  the  east  or  west.  The 
monuments  and  records  inform  us  that  such  precautions 
were  indeed  a  vital  necessity,  for  the  Libyan  nations, 
induced  by  the  internal  distraction  of  the  Delta,  and  by 
the  weakness  of  the  Egyptian  forces  on  the  western 
boundaries,  allied  themselves  with  mercenaries  from 
Sardinia,  Sicily,  Etruria,  Lycia,  and  Greece,  and,  having 
invaded  Egypt,  were  with  difficulty  repelled.  Still 
more  severe  measures  of  repression  were  demanded  to 
break  the  spirit  of  the  rebellious  slave  communities,  and 
the  brickmakers  of  Rameses  were  condemned  to  send 
in  a  certain  number  each  day,  whatever  the  difficulty  in 
doing  so.^  It  is  strange  to  read  this  in  contemporary 
records,  confirming,  as  it  does  so  strongly,  the  Bible 
narrative. 

The  region  to  which  Moses  had  fled  was  near  a  line 
of  travel  between  Egypt  and  the  East ;  for  ''  the  well," 
at  which  he  met  Jethro's  daughters,  must  in  such  parts 
have  attracted  passing  caravans ;  and,  indeed,  must 
have  determined  their  route.  The  Sinai  peninsula, 
moreover,  had  for  ages  been  the  great  mining  district 
of  Egyptian  adventurers,  and  even  of  the  kings.  In- 
formation would  thus  reach  the  exile  of  the  state  of 
things  under  the  new  monarch,  and  help  to  confirm  him 
in  his  loyal  acceptance  of  the  high  commission  to  be 
their  deliverer. 

*  For  details,  see  Birch's  Ancient  History  from  the  Monuments — 
"  Egypt,"  pp.  125-133. 


106  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAKACTERS. 

The  state  of  affairs  liad  turned  tlie  tliougMs  of  Aaron 
in  tlie  same  direction  as  tliose  of  Moses.  Botli_,  unknown 
to  each  other_,  had  been  long  pondering  the  possibility 
of  rescuing  their  nation  from  its  degradation  and  misery ; 
and  now  a  Divine  impulse  urged  the  elder  to  seek  his 
long-lost  brother,  whose  training  and  genius  so  emi- 
nently fitted  him  to  be  the  leader  in  any  scheme  of 
deliverance.  The  two  met  at  Sinai/  both  overjoyed  at 
a  reunion  which  was  never  again  to  be  broken.  Each 
had  much  to  tell  the  other  :  plans  had  to  be  formed  in 
accordance  with  the  revealed  purpose  of  God;  there 
were  hopes  and  fears  to  heighten  or  abate,  and  these 
shortened  the  way  to  Egypt,  to  which  they  forthwith 
returned. 

The  first  step  taken  was  to  summon  the  "  elders  ^^  of 
Israel,  and  communicate  to  them  what  was  intended. 
The  descendants  of  Jacob,  like  the  old  Germans  or  the 
Scotch  Highlanders,  seem  from  the  first  to  have  had 
divisions  and  subdivisions  into  clans  and  families.  At 
the  head  of  each  tribe  stood  a  *^  prince  "  or  head,  and 
under  these  heads  of  "  families  ^'  and  of  "  houses  " — the 
former  acting  as  chiefs  of  the  different  branches  of  a 
tribe ;  the  latter  having  under  them  a  certain  number  of 
households.  As  many  of  these  as  it  was  safe  to  gather 
together  were  presently  summoned  to  meet  the  two 
brothers ;  and  thus  a  communication  was  opened  between 
them  and  the  whole  nation,  and  advantage  taken  of  an 
existing  organization,  by  which  action  could  be  adopted 
almost  simultaneously  over  the  whole  Hebrew  district. 

The  character  of  Aaron  is  first  seen  after  this  in- 
auguration of  the  great  scheme  of  deliverance. 

In  contrast  to  his  brother,  he  had  fluent  eloquence, 
for,  like  many  other  great  minds,  Moses  was  less 
1  Exod.  iv.  27. 


AARON.  107 

able  to  express  his  conceptions  in  speecL.  tlian  weaker 
men.  In  all  tliat  the  latter  thouglit^  planned,  or  pro- 
2)0sed  we  see  the  creative  power  which  marks  a  supreme 
intellect :  Aaron  appears  only  in  a  subordinate  and 
dependent  position,  and  shows  signs  of  failure  as  often 
as  he  acts  for  himself.  Moses  is  the  inspired  prophet, 
the  founder  and  creator  of  a  new  future  for  his  down- 
trodden and  degraded  people.  Aaron  is  only  the  mouth- 
piece of  his  brother,  able  to  express  his  thoughts  in 
fitting  language  even  before  the  highest,  and  to  carry 
out,  with  dexterous  readiness,  what  his  great  brother 
had  planned  with  heavy  mental  struggles,  and  a  heart 
trembling  under  its  responsibilities.  He  is  the  speaker 
alike  before  the  elders  and  before  Pharaoh.  Most  of 
the  miracles  were  wrought  by  him,  though  only  in 
accordance  with  the  directions  of  Moses ;  ^  but  from  the 
moment  the  Exodus  is  begun  Moses  takes  the  leader- 
ship, and  henceforth  stands  the  unquestioned  head  of 
the  nation. 

The  relative  position  of  the  brothers  was  strikingly 
shown  at  Sinai,  where  Moses  alone  was  permitted  to 
come  near  Jehovah,  while  Aaron,  with  his  sons  Nadab 
— "The  Generous  One'' — and  Abihu — "Whose  Father 
is  Jehovah '^ — and  seventy  of  "the  elders  of  Israel," 
were  only  allowed  to  worship  afar  off. 

Left  as  temporary  head  in  the  absence  of  Moses  in 
the  Mount  of  the  Law,  Aaron's  unfitness  for  the  great 
work  his  brother  had  been  raised  to  carry  out  became 
apparent.  As  day  after  day  passed  without  Moses  re- 
turning, the  people,  with  the  impatience  natural  to  rude 
minds,  concluded  that  they  were  forsaken,  and  began  to 
clamour,  they  scarcely  knew  for  what.  They  had  been 
accustomed  to  the  gorgeous  idolatry  of  Egypt — with 
»  Exod.  vii.  19. 


108  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

its  great  temples^  robed  priests,  and  grandly  bedecked 
images  of  tbe  gods,  and  could  not  realize  tbe  existence 
of  a  God  without  sucb  an  outward  symbol.  To  rise  to 
the  conception  of  a  purely  spiritual  religion  was  too 
great  an  effort  for  minds  habituated  to  the  opposite,  and 
could  only  be  permanently  attained,  even  by  their 
descendants,  after  the  discipline  of  many  centuries,  and 
of  a  second  captivity  in  Babylon. 

The  god  Osiris — the  sun — had  been  worshipped  in 
their  district  in  Egypt  under  the  symbol  of  a  golden 
calf,  or  rather  ox,  Mnevis,  or  Apis ;  and  such  symbols 
the  multitude  now  loudly  demanded,  to  be  ^Hhe  gods 
that  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  ^  They 
had  no  idea  of  repudiating  Jehovah,  or  turning  to  the 
Avorship  of  Egyptian  idols,  but  wished  to  have  some 
visible  emblem  of  Him  to  which  they  might  look.  The 
second  commandment  had  been  given  only  a  few  days 
before  amidst  thunders  and  lightnings  and  clouds,  and 
*^the  voice  of  a  trumpet  exceeding  loud" — and  had  for- 
bidden all  graven  images  or  the  likeness  of  any  thing  in 
heaven — star  or  comet — or  on  earth,  or  in  the  waters 
—  the  creature  idols  of  the  Egyptians  —  but  neither 
Aaron  nor  the  people  had  let  the  words  sink  into  their 
hearts.  Afraid  of  the  fierce,  noisy  multitude,  he  weakly 
gave  way  to  their  request,  and  made  the  golden  calf. 
The  first  step  in  so  fatal  a  policy  was  immediately 
followed  by  the  worst  results.  "A  feast  to  Jehovah," 
at  which  the  new  idol  was  to  be  unveiled,  was  pro- 
claimed, but  it  presently  passed  into  the  wild  and 
sensual  excesses  associated  with  similar  revels  in  Egypt. 

^  As  already  noticed,  some  scholars  think  that  the  calf  "vvas  a 
symbol  borrowed  from  the  idolatry  of  Western  Asia.  Moloch 
was  the  ox-god  of  the  Asiatic  tribes  of  the  Delta.  See  Geikie's 
Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  ii.  p.  279. 


AAEON.  109 

The  severe  rebuke  of  Moses^  tlie  weak  excuse  of 
Aaron,  and  tlie  puniskment  inflicted  on  tke  idolaters, 
mark  tke  difference  between  tke  two  brotkers. 

On  one  occasion  only  does  tkere  seem  to  kave  been  any 
estrangement  between  tkem,  and  in  it  Aaron  seems  to 
kave  acted,  witk  kis  accustomed  dependence  on  otkers, 
under  tke  instigation  of  Miriam.^  On  all  otker  occa- 
sions ke  appears  tke  faitkful  colleague  and  assistant  of 
Moses. 

Till  tkat  time  tke  kead  of  eack  kousekold  kad  acted 
as  family  priest,  but,  by  Divine  direction,  Aaron  and 
kis  descendants  were  set  apart  by  Moses  as  tke  con- 
secrated priestkood  of  tke  nation.  Tke  jealousy  of  pre- 
eminent position  wkick  kad  assailed  Moses  now  turned 
against  Aaron  also,  and  it  was  not  witkout  a  severe 
struggle  tkat  tke  new  dignity  was  left  to  kis  tribe.  He 
kad  to  mourn  over  two  of  kis  sons,  Nadab  and  Abiku, 
wko  perisked  for  rask  intrusion  on  tke  sacred  office,  and 
at  a  later  time,  a  revolt  keaded  by  Korak  and  otkers 
was  only  quencked  by  severe  judgments.  In  tke  end, 
kowever,  tke  new  ecclesiastical  constitution  was  recog- 
nised, and  Aaron  became  tke  first  of  tke  long  line  of 
Higk  Priests,  wkick  ended  only  witk  tke  final  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  sixteen  kundred  years  later. 

In  common  witk  Moses,  Aaron  incurred  tke  penalty 
of  not  being  allowed  to  enter  tke  Holy  Land,  and,  as 
witk  kis  brotker,  a  lonely  mountain  was  ckosen  as  tke 
spot  wkere  ke  skould  breatke  kis  last.  One  of  tke 
barren  kills  on  tke  borders  of  Edom,  it  is  not  known 
wkick,  saw  kis  deatk. 

Eloquent,  but,  like  many  eloquent  men,  impulsive  and 
comparatively  unstable  ;  leaning  tkrougk  life,  wkerever 
he  could,  on  a  stronger  mind  tkan  kis  own ;  incapable 
*  Kura.  xii. 


110 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


of  the  patient  endurance  and  calm  self-command  wliicli 
must  be  seen  in  a  leader  of  men_,  Aaron^  neyertlieless, 
remains  one  whose  earnest  devotion  to  God  and  His 
people  we  must  devoutly  admire.  A  good^  upright 
man^  jealous  for  the  faith  of  his  fathers ;  self-sacrificing 
in  his  efforts  to  carry  out  the  commands  entrusted  to 
him ;  wise  and  faithful  as  a  rule  ;  tender  and  pitiful  to 
the  erring,  even  to  self-exposure  in  time  of  plague,  for 
their  good ;  he  was  yet  weak  in  danger,  irresolute,  want- 
ing in  firmness,  and  not  free  from  fear  of  man,  though 
humble  and  full  of  regret  when  he  came  to  see  his  error. 
Such  men  are  valuable  in  society,  when  led  by  those 
wiser  and  stronger  than  themselves,  but  apt  to  fail  when 
left  to  their  own  guidance. 


Ths  "  DcQOKG,"/rom  which  the  so-called  "  hadger  skin  "  teas  obtained  for  th« 
covering  of  the  Tabernacle. 


BALAAM. 

THE  close  of  tlie  wilderness  joumeyings  of  Israel 
was  a  pleasing  contrast  to  some  of  its  earlier  stages. 
Leaving  tlie  comparatively  barren  districts  south  of  tlie 
Dead  Sea,  Moses  had  led  the  tribes  as  far  north  as  was 
necessary  for  their  crossing  easily  to  the  centre  of 
Palestine,  by  turning  their  march  to  the  west.  The 
territory  they  now  skirted  had  formerly  belonged, 
throughout,  to  the  kingdom  of  Moab,  but  the  northern 
part  of  it  had  been  seized  by  the  warlike  hill  clans  of 
the  Amorites,  and  was  now  in  their  possession.  Sihon, 
their  king — "  The  Sweeper  away  "  of  all  before  him — 
had  taken  the  rich  pasture-land  south  of  the  Jabbok, 
and  had  driven  the  Moabites  southwards,  across  the 
wide  chasm  of  the  Arnon,  which  from  that  time  formed 
the  boundary  between  the  two  hostile  peoples.^ 

The  approach  of  the  vast  encampment  of  the  Hebrews 
naturally  alarmed  the  populations  it  seemed  to  threaten. 
In  such  an  age  the  proposal  of  a  peaceable  march  through 
neutral  territory  to  a  point  beyond  it,  must  have  seemed 
a  mere  pretence  to  gain  an  entrance  which  would 
virtually  give  possession  of  a  land  thus  left  defenceless. 

*  The  Amorites  were  the  "  dwellers  on  summits,"  building  their 
towns  on  the  tops  of  hills,  so  that  the  walls  seemed  to  the  spies  to 
reach  to  heaven.     The  Canaanites  were  the  "  lowlandera." 

Ill 


112  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Wlien^  tlierefore^  Moses  requested  leave  from  Silion  to 
marcli  througli  his  kingdom,,  it  was  of  no  use  that  lie 
promised  simply  to  pass  along  tlie  public  roads  witliout 
injuring  person  or  property  :  the  only  answer  was  a 
fierce  refusal^  and  the  advance  of  an  army  to  drive  back 
Israel  from  the  frontier.  A  battle  followed^  in  which 
Sihon  and  his  sons  were  killed,  his  people  utterly 
broken,  and  their  land,  cattle,  and  cities  seized  as  the 
spoil  of  war.^ 

Even  before  this  rich  conquest,  the  people  had  reached, 
in  the  well-watered  uplands  of  the  Arnon — "  The  swift  ^' 
and  "  noisy  ^^ — a  district  the  brawling  streams  of  which 
must  have  been  a  delightful  contrast  to  the  arid  regions 
they  had  left.  Song  and  rejoicing  filled  the  camp  :  "  it 
was  an  earnest  of  the  richness  of  the  land  towards  which 
they  were  making.  The  whole  fertile  tract  from  the 
Arnon  to  Hermon,  embracing  all  Gilead  and  Bashan, 
was  now  theirs,  with  its  wooded  hills,  well-watered 
valleys,  and  boundless  stretches  of  arable  land  and 
pasture  on  the  broad  steppes  of  the  Hauran. 

Moab  had  never  relinquished  the  hope  of  winning 
back  from  the  Amorites  the  lands  taken  by  them  for  a 
time.  But  the  appearance  of  Israel  as  a  new  owner,  by 
right  of  conquest,  seemed  to  cloud  their  prospect,  and 
substitute  another  victorious  people  as  the  wrongful 
holders  of  the  territory  they  still  counted  theirs. 

The  position  of  Moab  was,  indeed^  in  every  way  full 
of  alarm.  Already  stripped  of  more  than  half  its 
territory,  it  seemed  now  in  danger  of  losing  the  rest. 
Zippor^^^  The  Bird,^^  father  of  Balak,  the  reigning  king 
■ — had  lost  his  life  in  the  battle  with  Sihon,  which  had 
cost  him  also  the  greater  and  richer  part  of  his  kingdom. 

1  Nam.  xxi.  21,  23-25,  31 ;  Deut.  iL  32,  33. 

2  Num.  xxi,  17. 


BALAAM.  113 

Seeing  the  utter  OYertlirow  of  tlie  Amorites,  tlie  con- 
querors of  his  own  people,  Balak,  in  ^'^sore  distress/' 
Bent  messengers  to  tlie  elders  of  Midian,  a  related  tribe, 
urging  them,  in  a  figure  well  suited  to  a  pastoral  race, 
fco  come  to  his  help,  else  "  this  people  will  lick  up  all 
round  about  us,  as  the  ox  licketh  up  the  grass  of  the 
field." 

But  he  did  not  confine  himself,  in  his  terror,  to  mere 
warlike  precautions.  It  was  the  firm  belief  of  antiquity, 
that  the  blessing  or  curse  of  eminent  religious  men 
carried,  irresistibly,  with  it,  good  or  evil  to  a  person 
or  community. 

Far  oS",  on  the  Upper  Euphrates,^  among  the  moun- 
tains of  Aram  or  Armenia,  amongst  which  it  rises,  lay 
the  fortress  town  of  Pethor,  one  of  the  northern  bulwarks 
of  Assyria.^  It  was  then  famous,  however,  not  for  its 
strength,  but  as  the  home  of  a  great  prophet — Balaam, 
son  of  Beor — "  The  Torch  " — an  Assyrian,  whose  fame 
had  crossed  the  desert  and  reached  Moab,  on  the  shores 
of  the  Dead  Sea.  His  very  name,  "  The  conqueror  of 
the  people,"  seemed  to  point  him  out  as  a  seer,  whose 
blessing  or  curse  was  of  mightiest  power.  Perhaps  in 
him  Balak  might  find  one  able  to  overcome  Moses,  and 
avert  the  peril  that  hung  over  Moab. 

A  hasty  message  forthwith  sped  over  the  desert,  by 
a  joint  embassy  of  the  elders  of  Midian  and  Moab, 
carrying  with  them  the  gifts  usually  presented  to  a 
"  prophet,"  to  induce  him  to  use  his  ^^  divinations."  ^ 
What  followed  has  given  rise  to  the  most  opposite 
estimates   of    Balaam's    character.     While   some   have 

^  Kum.  xxii.  5.  ^  George  Smith's  Assyria,  p.  33. 

'  Thus  Saul  asks  his  servant  what  present  here  is  to  give  to 
Samuel,  "  to  tell  us  our  way  "  (1  Sam.  ix.  8) ;  and  the  gifts  to  the 
priests  of  heathen  nations  are  well  known. 

I 


114  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

seen  in  him  tlie  most  dutiful  obedience  to  tlie  voice  of 
Grod,  others  liave  recognised^  as  it  seems  to  us  justly^  a 
man  at  bottom  wholly  unprincipled — trying  to  deceive 
himself  into  the  belief  that  he  is  acting  in  obedience  to 
conscience  and  revelation,  while  he  is  sinning  against 
both ;  ^  ready  to  do  anytliing  that  may  further  his 
worldly  advancement ;  ^  and,  while  holding  the  purest 
form  of  religion_,  willingly  pursuing  a  course  im- 
measurably below  it.^  It  is  hard  to  tell  how  far  he  was 
insincere  or  the  reverse  in  the  earlier  part  of  his  action, 
but  it  is  certain  that  his  final  counsel  to  Balak  shows  a 
terrible  fall  from  the  lofty  tone  he  had  at  first  main- 
tained, and  his  death  proves  the  contradiction  that,  at 
least  in  the  end,  displayed  itself  between  his  words  and 
his  deeds. 

The  whole  story  is  intensely  Oriental  and  primeval. 
The  first  deputation  is  dismissed  in  obedience  to  a 
Divine  warning ;  but,  so  far  as  we  know,  '^  the  wages  of 
unrighteousness  "  which  Balaam  ^^  loved,^^  are  carefully 
retained.*  A  second  embassy  of  nobler  messengers, 
carrying  richer  gifts,  succeeds.  He  does  not  at  once 
dismiss  them,  as  God  had  required,  but  presses  for 
permission  to  go  with  them,  which  at  last  is  granted. 
He  would  fain  earn  the  wealth  and  honour  apparently 
in  his  grasp,  yet  knows  that  when  the  prophetic  afflatus 
comes  on  him  he  can  only  utter  what  it  prompts.  With 
a  feigned  religiousness,  he  protests  that  if  Balak  were 
to  give  him  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  he  could 
not  go  beyond  the  word  of  Jehovah  his  God,  to  do  less 
or  more ;  but  he  also  bids  them  wait  overnight  to  see 
if  he  may  not,  after  all,  be  allowed  to  go  with  them.     If 

*  Butler's  Sermons,  vol.  vii. 

*  Newman's  Sermons,  vol.  iv.  p.  21. 

'  Arnold's  Sermons,  vol.  vi.  pp.  55,  56.         *  2  Pet.  ii.  16. 


BALAAM.  115 

his  ignoble  wisli  to  be  allowed  to  curse  an  unoffending 
nation  be  gratified,  be  has  the  wealth  he  craves  :  if  it 
be  refused,  he  can  appeal  to  his  words  as  proof  of  his 
being  only  the  mouthpiece  of  God.  That  he  should 
have  been  allowed  to  go  with  Balak's  messenger,  was 
only  the  permission  given  every  man  to  act  as  a  free 
agent,  and  in  no  Avay  altered  the  Divine  command,  that 
he  should  bless  and  not  curse.  Yet  he  goes,  as  if, 
perchance,  at  liberty  to  do  either,  and  lets  Balak  deceive 
himself  by  false  hopes,  when  the  will  of  God  has  been 
already  decisively  made  known. 

Arrived  in  Moab,  Balaam  found  Balak  in  the  ex- 
tremest  terror.  He  Avas  willing  to  offer  up  even  his 
eldest  son  to  his  gocls,  if  required,  to  deliver  his  nation. 
Nothing  shows  more  vividly  the  enlightened  and  almost 
Christian  views  of  this  Prophet  among  the  heathen, 
than  a  fragment  of  the  first  conversation  between  him 
and  Balak,  preserved  in  Micah.^ 

"Wherewith,"  asks  Balak,  in  his  agony,  '^ shall  I 
come  before  Jehovah  (thy  God),  and  bow  mj^self  before 
the  God  of  heaven  (the  height)  ?  shall  I  come  before 
Him  with  burnt  ofi'erings,  with  calves  of  a  year  old  ?  " 

"  Has  Jehovah  pleasure,"  answers  Balaam,  '^  in 
thousands  of  rams,  or  in  ten  thousands  of  streams  of 
oil  ?  " 

"  Shiill  I "  then  "  give  my  first  born  (son)  as  the 
sacrifice  expected  ?  "  cries  the  agonized  king ;  "  the 
fruit  of  my  body  as  expiation  for  my  soul  ?  "  - 

'^  He  has  told  thee,  0  man,"  replies  Balaam,  finely, 
"  what  is  good ;  and  what  does  Jehovah  require  of  thee 

1  Micah  vi.  6-8. 

■^  In  2  Kings  iii.  27  we  have  an  instance  of  another  king  of 
Moab  in  a  similar  dire  extremity  actually  offering  up  his  eldest 
son  as  a  burnt  sacrifice. 


116         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

but  to  do  justly_,  to  love  mercy^  and  to  walk  humbly 
with  thy  God  ! '' 

Nothing  could  be  nobler  than  this  beginning,  but 
how  contradictory  is  the  sequel !  Balak_,  in  his  excited 
distress,  takes  him  to  one  peak  after  another  of  the 
long  range  of  the  hills  of  Moab,  that  he  may  see  the 
wide  encampments  of  Israel  on  the  steppes,  or  in  the 
deep  valley  of  the  Jordan  beneath  them.  Balaam 
follows  him,  willing  to  curse,  if  possible,  though  he 
already  knew  God's  mind.  They  climb  wearily  to  the 
"  high  places  of  Baal,''  on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  to 
the  summit  of  one  of  the  peaks  of  the  Pisgah  range, 
and  to  the  top  of  '^  Peor,"  that  he  might  see  the  vast 
extent  of  the  hosts  Balak  dreaded ;  and  on  each 
summit  Balaam  uses  his  ''  enchantments "  to  try  to 
extort  leave  to  curse  them,  and  seeks  to  forget  the 
warning  of  conscience  and  the  voice  of  God,  in  the 
excitement  of  mighty  sacrifices.  It  is  of  no  use.  Fall- 
ing prostrate  in  the  prophetic  trance,  but  with  the  eyes 
of  his  mind  and  spirit  open,  a  vision  of  the  immediate 
and  distant  future  unrolls  itself  before  him,  and  he 
cannot  control  his  utterances.^  He  still  sees  the  wide 
landscape  of  mountain,  valley,  and  desert,  the  homes 
of  many  populations;  and  far  away  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Mediterranean  he  pictures  to  himself  the  isles  of 
western  races,  then  first  mentioned  in  Scripture. 
Beneath  him,  in  the  Valley  of  the  Acacias,  stretch  out 
the  tents  of  Israel,  spreading  like  valleys,  like  gardens 
beside  the  streams  of  his  native  land,  like  aloe  trees 
which  Jehovah  has  planted,  like  cedars  by  the  waters. 
He  seems  to  see  a  stream,  the  type  of  Israel,  widening 
as  it  flows,  till  it  broadens  to  many  waters — the  image 
to  an  Oriental  of  a  triumphant  future.  Jehovah,  their 
*  Num.  xxiv.  4. 


BALAAM.  117 

G-od,  is  with  His  people^  and  tlie  trumpet-sounds  of  a 
king  are  among  tliem  !  They  hare  the  fierce  swiftness 
of  the  buffalo  that  mocks  the  hunters :  they  rouse 
themselves  like  a  lion  that  will  not  lie  down  till  he  has 
consumed  the  prey  and  drunk  its  blood !  He  will 
devour  his  enemies^  and  crush  their  boneS;  and  break 
throuo'h  the  circle  of  the  archers  sent  ag-ainst  him, 
and  then,  lying  down  in  his  majesty,  who  shall  rouse 
him? 

Enraged  with  disappointment,  Balak  tries  once  more 
to  wring  from  Balaam  the  curse  he  wishes,  but  the 
inspiration  only  bears  the  prophet  away  to  grander 
visions.  He  beholds,  but  not  nigh,  a  star — the  symbol 
of  a  great  prince — come  out  of  Jacob,  and  "  a  sceptre,^' 
like  the  shepherd's  staff  that  marked  the  ruler  of  a 
tribe,  rise  out  of  Israel — and  it  shatters  Moab  on  every 
side,  and  destroys  those  who  are  against  the  people  of 
God.  Edom,  whose  red  mountains  gleamed  in  the 
south,  shall  be  the  possession  of  the  mighty  ruler  thus 
foreseen — ^the  son  of  Jesse,  himself  the  type  of  the 
greater  David — the  Messiah  to  follow  ! 

But,  as  he  gazes,  the  vision  takes  a  wider  sweep. 
The  plundering  hordes  of  Amalek  ranged  the  desert 
which  lay  on  the  edge  of  the  horizon  :  they  are  the 
first  of  nations  now,  but  they  are  doomed  to  perish  ! 
The  dwellings  of  the  Kenites  were  before  him,  across 
the  Dead  Sea,  in  the  chffs  of  Engedi.  But  though 
their  nest  be  in  the  rocks,  they  shall  be  driven  out  and 
led  away  captive  by  Assyria.  "Who  shall  live,"  he 
continued,  "when  God  sets  Assyria  to  His  work  of 
wrath  ? "  But  ships  shall  come  from  the  coast  of 
Chittim — the  island  of  Cyprus,  the  one  glimpse  of  the 
western  world  visible  from  the  hills  of  Palestine,  and 
thus   the    symbol   of   western   power — and   will    break 


118  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTEES. 

Assyria  and  Eber — '^  the  people  beyond  ^^  the  Euphrates 
— and  they  also  shall  perish  for  ever ! 

Utterances  so  lofty  might  have  led  us  to  think  of  him 
who  had  been  chosen  from  among  the  heathen  to 
proclaim  them,  as  a  true  servant  of  Jehovah,  whom 
he  professed  to  follow.  But  if  he  knew  God,  and  was 
used  by  Him  as  His  instrument  to  make  known  His 
will,  he  had  no  earnest  depth  of  religious  feeling,  no 
true  devotion  of  soul.  What  shall  we  say  of  one  who, 
while  inspired  to  speak  thus,  could  give  the  sinister 
counsel  to  Balak,  that  though  God  had  not  allowed  him 
to  curse  Israel,  the  same  end  might  be  gained  by  other 
means  ?  The  worship  of  the  Moabite  god,  Baal  Peor, 
was  a  consecration  of  sensuality :  let  a  feast  to  him 
be  proclaimed,  and  Israel  invited.  Amidst  the  lewd 
temptations  of  unbridled  impurity,  they  would  bring 
down  on  themselves  that  curse  which  was  not  allowed 
to  be  uttered  in  words  !  ^ 

Can  it  be  wondered  that  one  who  knew  the  right  so 
well,  and  so  basely  lent  himself  to  that  which  was 
basest  and  worst,  should  be  the  type,  to  the  sacred 
writers,  of  all  that  was  most  to  be  shunned  in  a  seduc- 
ing teacher,  so  that,  even  in  the  last  books  of  Scripture, 
his  name  is  uttered  as  an  awful  warning  ? 

Sold  to  evil,  Balaam  clung  to  the  god  he  had  chosen, 
and  joined  Moab  and  Midian  in  their  vain  attempts  to 
crush  Israel  in  battle — for  he  was  a  warrior  as  well  as 
a  prophet.  But  his  dead  body,  left  on  the  battle-field, 
proclaimed  the  folly  as  well  as  guilt  of  knowing  the 
better  course  and  choosing  the  worse. 

*  Num.  XXV.  1-5 ;  Eev.  ii.  14. 


MIHIAM. 


MIRIAM, — whose  name,  in  its  later  forms,  became 
that  of  "  Mariamne/'  the  loved  and  murdered 
wife  of  Herod  the  Great,  and,  as  "Mariam,"  or 
"Maria,"  and  "Mary,"  that  of  the  mother  of  our 
Lord, — was  the  sister  of  Moses,  the  eldest  of  the 
family,  as  Moses  was  the  youngest.  Her  present  name 
seems  to  have  been  given  to  her  in  later  life,  for  its 
meaning — "  Their  rebellion  " — appears  to  be  an  allu- 
sion to  the  painful  incident  of  her  one  difference  with 
her  august  brother,  on  the  occasion  of  his  second 
marriage  which  she  and  Aaron  resented.^ 

Rabbinical  fables  relate  that  she  was  only  five  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  first  mention  in  Scripture ;  but, 
however  young,  her  ready  quickness  in  securing  for  the 
infant  Moses  the  care  of  his  mother,  laid  him  under  an 
abiding  sense  of  obligation,  which  showed  itself  through- 
out his  life,  in  the  power  she  exerted  over  him.  Her 
superiority  of  age,  added  to  this  feeling  of  gratitude 
on  his  part,  gave  her  an  independence  and  high  position 
which  made  her  famous,  even  in  later  ages,  as  one  of 
the  three  deliverers  of  her  nation.- 

It  is  difficult  to  carry  ourselves  back  to  those  remote 
times,  and  realize  life  as  it  then  was  among  the  Hebrews. 


*  Num.  xii.  1,  2. 


2  Micah  vi,  4  (b.c.  about  750). 

119 


120  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

In  tlie  tombs  of  Beniliassaii  tliere  is  a  remarkable  mural 
painting  wliicli  may  help  us  to  do  so.  A  number  of 
foreigners,  of  some  race  kindred  to  the  Jews,  are 
represented  as  arriving  at  tbe  court  of  Pharaoli,  and 
being  presented  to  bim.  Tbe  details  offer  wbat  seems 
a  striking  parallel  to  tlie  arrival  of  Jacob  in  Egypt, 
Tbe  men  are  draped  in  long  garm'ents  of  various  colours, 
wearing  sandals,  like  open  sboes,  witb  numerous  straps. 
Tbey  are  armed  witb  bows,  arrows,  spears,  and  clubs. 
One  is  playing  on  a  seven-stringed  lyre,  tbe  counterpart, 
doubtless,  of  tbe  barp,  so  often  mentioned  in  later 
Jewisb  history.  Four  women  accompany  them,  dressed 
in  garments  which  reach  below  the  knees,  and  wearing 
fillets  round  their  hair,  and  ornaments  on  their  ankles, 
but  barefooted.  A  boy  armed  with  a  spear  walks  at 
their  side,  and  two  children  in  panniers  on  an  ass, 
precede  them,  while  another  ass  has  empty  panniers, 
but  carries  some  spears  and  shields.^  This  may  not 
give  an  exact  idea  of  the  rude  simplicity  of  Hebrew 
life  in  the  days  of  Miriam,  but  it  brings  it  before  us 
approximately. 

At  the  time  of  the  Exodus,  Moses,  the  youngest  of 
his  father's  children,  was  already  eighty  years  of  age, 
at  least  according  to  later  Rabbinical  belief,"  so  that 
Miriam  must  have  been  nearly  ninety  when  she  accom- 
panied him  and  her  race  in  their  hasty  flight  from 
bondage. 

The  route  taken  on  that  eventful  march  has  lately 
been  explained,  very  differently  from  the  theories 
hitherto  accepted.     Dr.  Brugsch,^  an  eminent  Egypto- 

*  Birch's  Egypt  from  the  Monuments,  p.  66.     See  Illustration  in 
Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  i.  p.  360, 
3  Acts  vii.  23,  30. 
»  Transactions  of  Congress  of  Orientalists,  1874,  pp.  260-282. 


MIBIAM.  121 

legist^  who  lias  passed  many  years  in  tlie  country,  claims 
to  have  identified  all  the  stations  mentioned  in  Exodus, 
with  sites  along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean.  The 
whole  district  assigned  to  the  Hebrews  was  more  or 
less  marshy,  and  only  one  highway  led  through  it  into 
the  wilderness  outside.  This  ran  past  Migdol, — "The 
Tower,"  —  still  marked  by  its  Egyptian  equivalent 
"  Samout," — one  of  the  frontier  defences  towards  the 
Arabian  desert, — ^to  Baalzephon — the  town  of  "The 
Lord  of  the  North."  It  thence  passed,  along  a  narrow 
ridge  of  sand  on  the  coast,  with  the  Mediterranean  on 
the  one  hand,  and  "  the  gulfs  " — Pi-hahiroth — now 
known  as  the  bottomless  marshes  of  Serbonis,  on  the 
other.  The  sea,  raised  by  storms,  not  infrequently 
inundates  this  perilous  bridge,  and  on  one  occasion 
drowned  a  great  part  of  the  army  of  Artaxerxes,  who 
was  attempting  to  invade  Egypt.  Brugsch  supposes 
that  a  tempest,  sent  by  Providence,  flooded  the  sand 
ridge  and  the  surrounding  country,  after  the  Israelites 
had  passed,  and  caused  the  destruction  of  PharaoVs 
host,  by  making  it  impossible  for  them  to  know  their 
way  among  the  terrible  dangers  of  Serbonis.  It  may 
be  that  it  was  in  this  way,  and  at  this  place,  that  God 
wrought  His  mighty  deliverance  of  His  people.  The 
identifications  of  the  route,  however,  have  been  widely 
challenged,  though  the  use  of  the  phrase  "  Red  Sea " 
in  our  version,^  in  reality  proves  nothing,  as  the  Hebrew 
word  is  "Weedy,"  not  "Red," — a  characteristic  pre- 
eminently true  of  the  Sirbonian  marshes,  with  their  wide 
beds  of  papyrus.  The  recent  survey  of  the  isthmus 
of  Suez  by  Dr.  Hull,  seems  to  show,  however,  that  the 
Red  Sea  extended  much  farther  to  the  north  at  the 
titae  of  the  Exodus  than  it  does  now.  This,  of  course, 
A    ^  Exod.  XV.  4, 


122  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

would  make  any  identification  of  tlie  towns  so  named 
on  tlie  route  of  the  Hebrews  very  difficult. 

In  common  witli  lier  two  brothers^  Miriam  enjoyed 
tbe  mysterious  honour  wbicli  is  implied  in  tbe  name 
"  Propbetess."  ^  In  bigb  rejoicing  at  tbe  wonderful 
intervention  of  God  on  bebalf  of  His  people,  Moses 
composed  a  triumpbal  psalm,  wbicb  was  cbanted  by 
tbe  multitude  in  tbe  first  bours  of  tbeir  excited  devo- 
tion at  tbe  deliverance  voucbsafed  tbem.  Miriam, 
instinct  witb  some  of  ber  brotber's  genius,  and  toucbed 
by  tbe  same  propbetic  fire,  roused  tbe  women  of  tbe 
nation  by  ber  glowing  entbusiasm,  and  taking  a  tabret  in 
ber  band — apparently,  like  our  modern  tambourine,  a 
wooden  rim,  covered  witb  membrane,  and  bung  round 
witb  bells  or  rattles — beaded  tbem,  in  religious  songs 
and  dances,  to  tbe  music  of  similar  instruments.  Tbe 
refrain  of  one  song  alone  remains — ''  Sing  ye  to 
Jebovab,  for  He  batb  triumpbed  gloriously ;  tbe  borse 
and  bis  rider  batb  He  tlirown  into  tbe  sea.^' 

Tbe  next  mention  of  ber  name  is  in  connection  witb 
tbe  marriage  of  Moses  witb  a  Cusbite  woman,  or 
negress.^  Strange  as  tbis  may  seem  to  us,  and  con- 
trary as  it  was  to  tbe  traditions  of  tbe  Hebrews,  and  to 
bis  own  subsequent  legislation,^  tbere  was  mucb  in  bis 
Egyptian  education  to  make  it  more  natural  tban  migbt 
be  supposed.  From  tbe  first,  of  mixed  blood,  tbe 
Egyptians  became  increasingly  so,  as  tbeir  wars  witb 
tbe  negro  kingdoms  led  to  tbe  settlement  among  tbem 
of  vast  numbers  of  prisoners.  Tbere  was  no  prejudice 
of  colour,  for  all  bad  more  or  less  dark  blood  in  tbeir 
veins,  and  intermarriage  between  all  sbades  was  so 
common,  tbat  a  negress  bad  been  queen  of  Egypt  in 

1  Exod.  XV.  20.  2  js^um.  xii. 

»  Exod.  xxxiv.  15, 16 ;  Deut.  vii.  3,  4 ;  ^iii.  3,  7,  8,  etc. 


MIRIAM.  123 

the  dynasty  preceding  that  under  whicli  Moses  was 
born,  and  the  same  thing  had  already  happened  at  an 
earlier  period.^  The  native  royal  family  had  taken 
refuge  in  the  south  during  the  long  triumph  of  the 
Shepherd  Kings,  and  alliance  with  the  daughters  of 
negro  kings  had  thus  become  frequent.  Moses  only 
copied  the  example  of  the  highest  of  the  land  by  marry- 
ing a  Cushite. 

But  though  in  keeping  with  Egyptian  usage,  the 
marriage  was  distasteful  to  Miriam,  and  she  excited 
Aaron  also  against  it.  She  seems  to  have  felt  wounded, 
as  was  natural  in  a  woman,  by  her  brother  having  acted 
without  consulting  her  on  the  matter,  and  she  foolishly 
gave  vent  to  her  irritation  in  words  which  might  have 
spread  discontent  in  the  camp  had  they  passed  unre- 
proved.  "  Has  Jehovah,"  said  she,  "  indeed  spoken 
only  by  Moses  ?  Has  he  not  spoken  also  by  us  ?  "  It 
appeared  as  if  she  disputed  his  position  as  the  head  of 
the  people,  and  wished  herself  and  Aaron  advanced  to 
equal  dignity.  Her  rank  and  influence  demanded  an 
instant  vindication  of  Moses  as  the  one  leader  chosen 
by  God,  and  this  fell  on  her  in  the  grievous  form  of 
a  visitation  of  the  hateful  Egyptian  leprosy.  From 
all  but  the  highest  eminence  she  was,  in  a  moment, 
struck  down  beneath  the  lowest  in  the  camp,  and  could 
no  longer  remain  in  it.  There  could  be  no  more  am- 
bitious dreaming,  no  more  insubordination,  after  so 
dreadful  a  lesson.  It  went  to  the  heart  even  of  Aaron, 
almost  as  keenly  as  her  own.  ''  Alas,  my  lord,"  cried 
the  humbled  man  to  his  mighty  brother,  "I  beseech 
thee,  lay  not  these  sins  upon  us  wherein  we  have  done 
foolishly,  and  wherein  we  have  sinned.  Let  her  not 
be  like  a  dead-birth,  born  with  its  flesh  half  gone !  ^* 
'  Birch's  Anciemt  Egypt,  p.  81. 


124  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

''Heal  her,  0  God!"  entreated  Moses.  But  the  of- 
fence was  too  great  for  immediate  pardon_,  and  it  was 
only  after  her  exclusion  from  the  camp  for  seven  days 
that  she  was  allowed  to  return  to  her  former  soundness. 
The  whole  community  felt  the  stroke^  and  remained  in 
camp  where  it  was  till  her  restoration  to  them. 

This  incident  took  place  at  a  spot  known  in  our  ver- 
sion as  Hazeroth, — ''  The  encampment," — in  the  wilder- 
ness country  of  southern  Palestine.  Miriam's  name  is 
not  mentioned  again  till  her  death,  which  took  place 
towards  the  close  of  the  long  desert  life  of  the  tribes. 
They  were  wandering,  apparently,  in  the  arid  district 
south-east  of  the  Dead  Sea — the  wilderness  of  Zin — 
when  her  end  came.  She  was  the  first  of  the  three 
illustrious  ones  to  die,  but  she  must  have  reached  a 
good  old  age.  Moses  was  a  hundred  and  twenty  years 
old  when  he  laid  aside  all  earthly  cares  at  Nebo;^ 
Aaron,  a  hundred  and  twenty-three  when  he  died  in 
Mount  Hor ;  ^  and  Miriam's  age,  though  not  given, 
could  hardly  have  been  much  less.^  The  elder  brother 
and  sister  passed  away  about  the  same  time,  for  their 
deaths  are  both  told  in  the  same  chapter,^  and  Moses 
was  left  to  finish  his  course  alone. 

''  She  was  buried,"  says  Josephus,  ''  on  a  mountain 
in  Zin,  and  all  the  people  mourned,  in  public  lamenta- 
tion for  her,  thirty  days."  He  adds  that  ''  she  died  on 
the  first  day  of  the  month  called  Xanthicus,"  nearly  our 
April,  so  that  she  was  laid  among  the  spring  flowers, 
before  the  burning  heat  of  summer  had  come  to  try  her 
once  more.  Traditions  speak  of  her  as  the  wife  of  Hur, 
and  adds  many  legends  of  miracles  wrought  by  her. 

*  Deut.  xxxiv.  7.  2  JSTum.  xxxiii.  39.  »  ISTum.  xx. 

^  Josephus  says  she  died  in  the  end  of  the  fortieth  year  of  the 
wanderings,  and  that  Aaron  died  in  the  same  yeai-  {Ant,  IV.  4  6.) 


MIRIAM. 


125 


Of  tliese  Scripture  says  nothing,  but  it  leaves  us  the 
notewortliy  lesson  that,  even  in  those  early  ages,  AYpman 
was  held  in  high  respect  among  the  Hebrews.  The  day 
of  her  death  was  observed  by  the  nation  for  ages,  and 
the  best  evidence  of  her  having  merited  an  honour  so 
great  is  found  in  her  having  been,  first,  the  means  of 
the  rescue  of  Moses  from  Egyptian  influences  in  his 
childhood,  and,  subsequently,  in  her  life-long  devotion 
to  him,  and  her  zeal  in  maintaining  the  worship  of 
Jehovah  among  her  own  sex.  The  triumphal  ode  at 
the  Exodus  reveals  a  soul  fitted  to  influence  her  sex, 
and  shows  that  she  used  her  grand  position  to  do  so 
for  the  noblest  ends. 


The  Top  of  Sinai.— r.nbo) Jo 


JOSHUA. 

THE  Exodus  and  tlie  Forty  Years'  Wandering  had 
demanded  a  Propliet  to  perform  tlie  signs  and 
wonders  of  God,  to  receive  and  deliver  to  tlie  people 
tlie  LaW;  and  to  mould  them,  through  long  discipline, 
into  a  nation.  The  great  work  of  conquest  now  before 
Israel  required  a  soldier,  and  he  appeared  in  the  person 
of  Joshua. 

The  successor  of  Moses  was  a  descendant  of  Ephraim, 
the  son  of  Joseph,  in  the  twelfth  generation.  His 
father's  name,  we  are  told,  was  Nun;  and  a  Jewish 
tradition  makes  Miriam,  the  sister  of  Moses,  his  mother. 
His  family  was  one  of  the  most  famous  in  their  great 
tribe,  for  he  himself  is  expressly  named  as  one  of  '^  the 
heads  of  the  children  of  Israel,"^  and  his  intimate 
relations  with  Moses,  from  the  first,  imply  distinction 
of  birth. 

Born  in  Egypt,  Joshua  was  about  forty  years  old  at 
the  time  of  the  Great  Deliverance,  in  which  he  probably 
held  a  high  command,  for  we  find  him  appointed  general 
of  the  forces  of  Israel  at  their  encounter  with  the  rob- 
ber-hordes of  Amalek,  while  the  newly-escaped  multi- 
tudes were  still  on  the  way  to  Mount  Sinai.  Even  then 
his  fitness  for  the  future  leader  of  the  peoph  must  have 
*  Num.  xiii,  8. 

126 


JOSHUA.  127 

been  seen  by  Moses,  for  the  execution  of  the  curse 
denounced  on  tlie  fierce,  lawless  marauders,  after  they 
were  driven  off,  was  expressly  left  to  him  to  carry  out.^ 
Cumbered  as  the  Hebrews  were,  with  women,  children, 
and  cattle,  a  sudden  attack  of  the  fierce  outlaws  of  the 
desert  had  put  everything  in  imminent  peril,  and  it 
could  have  been  no  light  task  to  drive  them  off  with  a 
hastily  extemporized  militia,  to  whom  the  use  of  arms 
must  have  been  wholly  new,  and  who  had  been  long 
crushed  and  unmanned  by  slavery.  But  the  stout  heart 
of  Joshua  knew  no  fear.  A  simple,  undaunted,  straight- 
forward soldier,  he  knew  his  duty  and  did  it,  and  by  his 
example,  perhaps,  as  much  as  by  his  dispositions,  hurled 
back  the  assailants.  But  his  relations  to  Israel  were 
very  different  from  those  of  Moses,  for  while  he  fought, 
the  victory  was  directly  ascribed  to  the  uplifted  rod  of 
the  great  Prophet,  as  the  symbol  of  the  resistless  power 
of  God. 

Whether  Joshua  was  attached  to  Moses  before  this 
eventful  day,  as  his  personal  attendant,  is  not  told  us; 
but  from  this  time  he  always  appears  in  this  character, 
as  if  brought  into  constant  and  confidential  intercourse 
with  the  Head  of  the  people,  that  he  might  be  able, 
hereafter,  to  succeed  him  as  its  Leader.  Henceforth 
his  prospective  dignity  was  foreshadowed  by  a  change 
of  name.  Till  the  great  day  of  the  battle  with  Amalek 
he  had  been  only  Hosea — '^  Deliverance  "  or  ^'  Salva- 
tion;" henceforth  he  should  be  Joshua,  or  Jehoshuah — 
"  The  Salvation  "  or  "  Deliverance  of  Jehovah."  The 
camp  should  see  in  him  the  great  fact,  and  be  reminded 
of  it  by  the  very  change  thus  made  in  his  name,  that 
the  deliverance  on  the  day  of  Rephidim  was  not  of 
man,  but  from  above,  and  that  in  all  the  future  glory 
2  Exod.  xvii.  14. 


128  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

of  Israel  liuman  power  was  only  tlie  instrument  of  a 
tiglier.  No  name  was  ever  so  illustrious^  for  in  a  later 
age  it  passed,  in  a  Greek  form,  into  that  wMcli  is  above 
all  others — the  name  Jesus. 

At  Sinai,  Joshua  was  privileged,  as  the  '^  minister  ^' 
of  Moses,  to  accompany  him  to  the  upper  heights  of 
the  mountain,^  leaving  "  the  elders  "  of  the  people,  and 
even  Aaron  and  Hur,  behind,  and  in  these  awful  soli- 
tudes he  waited  for  him  till  he  returned  from  com- 
munion with  God  on  the  summit.  It  was  on  their 
beginning  their  descent  together  that  the  noise  of  the 
feasting  and  rejoicing  in  honour  of  the  golden  calf, 
rising  into  the  stillness  of  the  hills,  broke  on  their  ears. 
True  to  his  character  as  a  soldier,  the  first  thought  of 
Joshua  is,  that  it  was  "  the  shouting  of  a  battle ;  ^^  but 
Moses,  in  as  natural  keeping  with  his  peaceful  turn, 
familiar  with  religious  festivities,  at  once  recognised 
that  it  was  not  the  shout  of  victory,  nor  the  wails  of 
the  conquered,  but  the  voice  of  singing  and  mirth.^ 

When  the  law  had  been  proclaimed,  and  the  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  constitution  of  the  nation  settled  in 
its  leading  features,  steps  were  taken  towards  an  im- 
mediate entrance  into  Palestine  from  the  south.  To 
prepare  the  way,  twelve  chiefs  were  selected,  one  from 
each  tribe,  to  go  as  spies  and  bring  back  a  report,  after 
having  personally  examined  the  strength  and  weakness 
of  the  land.^  From  the  encampment  in  the  wilderness 
of  Et  Tih,  in  the  south,  they  went  through  the  whole 
country  to  the  far  north,  travelling,  most  likely,  in 
separate  parties,  to  avoid  suspicion.  The  fertility  even 
of  the  southern  districts,  now  so  barren,  was  then 
astonishing,  for  long  mounds  of  pebbles,  on  which 
vines  were  wont  to  be  trained,  are  si  ill  seen  in  places 
•  Exod.  xxiv.  13.         ^  ^xod.  xxxii.  18.        ^  ^^^-^^  ^-j^i^  l_lg^ 


JOSHUA.  129 

now  utterly  unproductive  ^  through  neglect  of  irri- 
gation. At  Eslicol^  not  far  from  the  present  Ain  Kadis, 
the  Kadesh  Barnea  of  the  Book  of  Numbers,  they 
ventured,  as  they  were  so  near  safety  again,  to  cut 
a  cluster  from  one  of  the  vineyards,  as  a  sample  of  the 
fertility  of  the  land,  of  which  it  was  a  convincing  proof, 
for  it  had  to  be  carried  on  a  pole,  between  two,  to 
prevent  its  being  crushed. 

But  the  strength  of  the  country,  the  fierceness  of  the 
inhabitants,  the  towns  of  the  Amorites  on  the  tops  of 
the  hills,  '^  walled,"  as  it  seemed,  ^'  up  to  heaven,"  the 
iron  chariots  and  cavalry  of  the  Canaanites  of  the  coast 
and  inland  valleys,  and  the  haughty  bearing  of  the 
Amalekites  of  the  central  highlands,  had  overawed 
nearly  all  the  exploring  party.  Two  only,  Caleb  and 
Joshua,^  retained  their  self-possession  and  confidence, 
and  the  faint-heartedness  of  the  emissaries  struck 
terror  into  the  people  at  large.  Israel  was,  as  yet, 
unequal  to  the  task  of  the  conquest  of  Palestine. 

For  nearly  forty  years  we  hear  no  more  of  Joshua, 
except  the  one  incident — still  marking  his  soldier-like 
spirit  of  discipline — of  his  indignation  at  Eldad  and 
Medad,^  presuming  to  ^^ prophesy"  without  special 
authorization  from  Moses.  He  had  no  idea  of  any  one 
acting  in  a  public  capacity  except  under  orders. 

The  close  of  the  wanderings  saw  Joshua  and  Caleb 
the  sole  survivors  of  their  generation.  Moses  was 
about  to  be  taken,  and  Miriam  and  Aaron  were  already 
dead.  It  was  necessary  that  Joshua  should  be  formally 
consecrated  to  the  Leadership  for  which  he  had  been  so 
long  marked  out,"*  and   for   this  end  the   people  were 

>  Palestine  Fund  Reports,  1870,  p.  23. 
•^  Num.  xiv.  6-9,  21.  3  -^^^^  ^i.  28,  29. 

*  He  was  to  bo  the  Duke  ("  dux,"  leader),  or,  as  would  be  said 

E 


130  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

called  to  a  solemn  assembly;  Eleazar,  tlie  Higli  Priest 
in  succession  to  Aaron^  set  liim  apart  by  laying  bis 
bands  on  bis  bead ;  and  Moses  commended  bim  to  tbe 
congregation^  and  gave  bim  special  counsels  in  tbeir 
bearing.^  No  more  legislation  was  needed ;  Moses 
bimself  bad  framed  tbe  laws  of  tbe  future  nation^  and 
tbe  special  want  now  was  a  brave  and  skilful  soldier  to 
lead  it  triumpbantly  into  tbe  land  wbicb  was  to  be  its 
permanent  bome.  No  maxims  of  statecraft  were  im- 
pressed on  bim ;  one^  wbicb  suited  bis  simple  warrior- 
nature,  was  enougb.  "  Ye  sball  not  fear  :  for  tbe  Lord 
your  Grod  He  sball  figbt  for  you."  ^  "  Be  strong  and  of 
a  good  courage."  ^ 

After  tbe  miraculous  passage  of  tbe  Jordan,  Josbua's 
first  step  was  to  make  a  fortified  camp  at  Gilgal,  on  tbe 
bills  above  Jericbo,  as  bis  future  centre  of  operations. 
Tbe  generation  tbat  bad  died  in  tbe  wilderness  bad 
been  fickle  and  unreliable,  but  tbeir  cbildren,  now  at 
last  on  tbe  soil  of  tbe  land  wbicb,  tbougb  tbeirs  by 
Divine  gift,  bad  to  be  won  by  tbe  sword,  were  resolute 
and  trustwortby.  To  kindle  a  still  stronger  entbusiasm, 
bowever,  was  all  important,  for  religious  zeal  was  tbe 
one  impulse  sufiicient  to  ensure  victory  in  tbe  task 
before  tbem.  Altbougb  eigbty-five  years  of  age,  tbeir 
leader  was  as  full  of  fire  as  a  young  man.  Spear  in 
band*  or  slung  at  bis  back,^  be  was  present  every- 
wbere.  Now,  tbe  camp  was  engrossed  by  tbe  erection 
of  a  circle  of  buge  stones  taken  from  tbe  Jordan,  as  a 
memorial  of  tbe  crossing ;  sacrifices  on  an  altar  witbi^^ 

in  German,  the  "  Herzog "  (literally,  leader  of  an  army),  the 
equivalent  of  onr  "  Duke." 

i  Num.  xxvii.  23 ;  Deut.  xxxi.  14,  23. 

2  Deut.  iii.  22.  3  peut.  xxxi.  23. 

*  Josh.  viii.  18,  26.  *  1  Sam.  xvii.  6. 


JOSHUA.  131 

the  circumference  probably  adding  additional  sacred- 
ness  to  tlie  incident.  The  next  dajj  the  long  neglected 
rite  of  circumcision,  sacred  even  among  the  Egyptians 
and  Canaanites,  but  a  special  sign  among  the  Hebrews 
of  their  covenant  relation  to  Jehovah  as  His  chosen 
people,  was  once  more  honoured  throughout  the  con- 
gregation; and  a  few  days  later,  the  remembrance  of 
the  mighty  deliverance  of  their  fathers  was  kindled  to 
a  burning  zeal  for  the  task  before  themselves,  by  the 
celebration  of  the  Passover,  amidst  great  rejoicings,  for 
the  first  time  since  leaving  Sinai,  nearly  forty  years 
before.  To  heighten  the  enthusiasm,  the  long-con- 
tinued supply  of  manna  suddenly  ceased  on  the  day 
after  the  festival;  the  wheat  of  Canaan  henceforth 
taking  its  place.  The  past  was  ended ;  a  new  era  was 
before  them.  Even  Joshua  was  not  without  his  special 
excitement  to  zealous  earnestness.  While  the  border 
city  of  Jericho,  the  key  of  Palestine  on  the  east,  was 
yet  unattacked,  a  Divine  vision  was  vouchsafed  to  him. 
*'  A  man  stood  over  against  him  with  his  sword  drawn 
in  his  hand,"  and  when  accosted  by  Joshua  with  his 
instinctive  fearlessness,  ''  Art  thou  for  us  or  for  our 
adversaries  ?  "  announced  that  he  had  come  as  prince 
of  the  host  of  Jehovah,  before  whom  their  human 
leader  was  to  ^^  loose  the  shoe  from  off  his  foot,"  ^  as  on 
holy  ground. 

Jericho  being  taken,  by  the  aid  of  a  miracle,  acting, 
it  may  be,  through  an  earthquake,  the  Hebrews  were 
free  to  begin  the  conquest  of  the  country,  without 
dreadinsf  an  attack  on  their  rear.  Three  different 
campaigns  brought  the  enterprise  to  a  triumphant  con- 
clusion. Central  Palestine  was  taken  by  an  invasion  to 
the  north-west,  in  which  Ai,  Bethel,  and  Gibeon  fell 
I  Josh.  V.  13-15. 


132  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

into  tlie  liands  of  Joshua.  The  chiefs  of  the  different 
tribes  and  races^  alarmed  at  the  fall  of  Jericho  and  Ai^ 
formed  an  alliance  to  drive  back  the 'enemy.  Adoni- 
zedek — ^'^The  just  lord^^ — "king"  of  Jerusalem;  Ho- 
ham,  "king"  of  Hebron^  in  the  south;  Piram — "The 
invincible/^ — "  king  "  of  Jarmuth_,  on  the  slopes  of  the 
Judasan  hills_,  behind  Ashdod ;  Japhia — "  The  splendid/' 
— "king  "  of  Lachish,  on  the  edge  of  the  south  country, 
behind  Gaza ;  and  Debir — "  The  oracle/^ — "  king  "  of 
Eglon,  about  ten  miles  west  from  Lachish,  joined  with 
the  five  "  kings  "  ^  of  the  Amorites,,  on  the  central  hills 
of  Judgea  and  Ephraim^  to  resist  the  threatened  attack. 
The  battle  took  place  at  Gibeon,  among  the  steep^  bare 
hills^  and  resulted  in  a  great  victory  for  Joshua^  who 
drove  the  enemy  in  headlong  rout  down  the  two  narrow 
and  precipitous  passes  of  Beth-horon^  a  little  north-west 
of  Jerusalem_,  and  by  miraculous  aid  dispersed  and 
crushed  them  utterly.  A  rapid  march  to  the  south 
overcame  all  scattered  hostility,  and_,  henceforth,  Cen- 
tral Palestine,  with  the  exception  of  Jerusalem_,  was 
permanently  in  the  hands  of  Israel. 

A  campaign  in  the  north  followed,  and  here  again 
Joshua  conquered,  for  not  even  the  cavalry  and  chariots 
of  the  Phoenicians  could  withstand  the  fierce  onslaught 
and  enthusiasm  of  his  forces.  A  final  march  and  a  last 
battle,  at  Hebron,  with  the  i*emnants  of  the  gigantic 
aboriginal  races,  completed  the  great  conquest,  at  least 
so  far  that  the  Hebrews  had  space  enough  to  settle 
quietly  in  their  new  territory. 

The  last  years  of  Joshua  were  passed  in  well-deserved 
rest  at  Timnath-serah,  in  his  own  Ephraim.  A  solemn 
assembly    of  the    people,  called    at  Shechem,  lenewed 

^  The  sheik  of  a  petty  Arab  encampment  still  bears  the  name 
"  Melek,"  translated  "  king  "  in  our  version. 


JOSHUA.  133 

the  national  covenant  of  fidelity  to  Jeliovali,  and  the 
work  of  dividing  the  country  into  portions  for  each 
tribe  followed. 

It  is  a  striking  sign  of  the  personal  influence  of 
Joshua^  that  during  his  lifetime  there  was  no  attempt 
at  resisting  his  authority,  or  even  at  forsaking  the  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah  for  that  of  idols,  which,  however,  soon 
began  after  his  death.  His  last  public  act  had  been  an 
attempt  to  pledge  them  to  lasting  fidelity  to  Jehovah, 
and  he  died  and  was  buried  in  his  own  town,  in  the 
fond  belief  that  his  people  would  continue  in  the  path 
marked  out  for  them  by  Moses  and  himself. 

Joshua  is  one  of  the  few  characters  in  history  dis- 
figured by  no  stain.  He  realized  the  ideal  of  a  devout 
warrior;  stern  when  duty  required,  but  tender  where 
possible,  and  always  loyal  to  his  conscience  and  his 
God.  He  had  been  taught  to  command  in  age  by  serv- 
ing in  youth ;  and  he  earned,  by  manly  vigour  and  fear- 
lessness, an  honoured  rest  for  his  later  years.  Israel 
could  have  had  no  leader  more  fitted  for  her  wants  at 
the  time.  Fearless,  simple,  reverent,  he  had  no  higher 
conception  than  duty.  Like  Moses,  he  did  not  transmit 
his  power  to  his  family,  though  he  had  no  such  reason 
as  that  of  Moses,  whose  children,  as  Jewish  only  on 
their  father's  side,  might  have  been  rejected  by  a  nation 
so  exclusive. 

In  his  old  age  his  position  must  have  been  lonely  in 
the  extreme,  for  he  was  the  last  survivor,  by  many 
years,  of  the  vast  host  who  had  escaped  from  Egypt. 
He  lived  to  the  age  of  a  hundred  and  ten,  the  patriarch 
of  his  race,  and  at  last  passed  away  leaving  a  name 
held  in  everlasting  honour. 


JAEL. 

JAELj — ''  The  mountain  goat/^ — the  wife  of  Heber, 
the  Kenite,  is  celebrated  in  the  Song  of  Deborah 
for  the  deliverance  she  wrought  to  Israel,  in  a  time  of 
its  greatest  need,  by  killing  Sisera,  the  general  of  the 
king  of  Hazor,  who  had  long  oppressed  the  country. 
To  understand  the  impulse  which  prompted  this  fidelity 
to  tribal  alliance  and  friendship,  at  the  cost  of  the  worst 
faithlessness  to  her  victim,  it  is  necessary  to  recall  the 
earlier  notices  of  the  clan  to  which  she  belonged. 

The  first  mention  of  the  Kenites  occurs  in  the  promise 
given  to  Abraham  that  his  descendants  should  obtain 
possession  of  Canaan — the  land  of  various  enumerated 
tribes — among  whom  the  Kenites  are  included.^  Their 
exact  origin  is  unknown,  but  alliances  made  at  a  later 
time  with  the  Midianites,  who  sprang  from  Keturah 
and  Abraham,^  incorporated  them  with  that  nation  as 
one  of  its  branches. 

In  the  days  of  Moses — nearly  seven  hundred  years 
after  Abraham — the  Kenites  seem  to  have  wandered 
into  the  peninsula  of  Sinai ;  for  Jethro,  who  befriended 
the  future  deliverer  of  Israel  and  afterwards  became 
his  father-in-law,  is  described  as  priest  of  Midian,^  and 

1  Gen.  XV.  19.  ^  Q-en.  xxv,  2.  »  ^xod.  11. 16. 

184 


JAEL.  135 

also  as  a  Kenite.^  Tlie  tribe  was  tlius  connected  with 
Israel  by  tbe  double  bond  of  common  descent  from 
Abraham,  and  by  its  relation  to  Moses,  their  national 
hero. 

This  connection,  however,  might  have  been  forgotten, 
but  for  the  friendly  bearing  of  Hobab,  the  son  of 
Jethro,  to  Israel,  during  its  wanderings  in  the  wilder- 
ness. Unaccustomed  to  nomadic  life,  the  hosts  till  so 
recently  settled  in  Egypt,  were  ill  fitted  to  set  out  from 
Sinai,  across  the  barren  uplands  which  led  to  Canaan, 
without  the  help  of  guides  to  whom  the  desert  was 
familiar.  An  overture  was,  therefore,  made  by  Moses 
to  Hobab,  to  leave  his  camping  ground  at  Sinai,  and 
accompany  Israel  on  its  march  through  the  wilderness, 
as  its  guide  to  the  best  pasture  grounds^  and  to  the 
various  wells,  so  necessary  for  such  a  multitude.^  To 
an  Arab  one  stretch  of  the  desert  is  as  much  a  home  as 
another,  and  the  promise  that  what  goodness  Jehovah 
should  do  to  Israel  would  be  shown  by  it  to  him  and 
his  people,  won  him  to  join  the  Hebrew  tribes,  and  to 
continue  henceforth  with  them,  in  the  useful  service 
requested. 

Hobab  and  his  clan  seem  to  have  taken  part  in  the 
storming  of  Jericho, — "the  city  of  palm-trees,'^ — but 
they  had  throughout  kept  themselves  distinct  from  the 
Hebrews.  Their  tents  had  even  attracted  the  notice  of 
Balaam,^  and  they  themselves  had  been  the  subject  of 
a  special  allusion :  "  Their  dwelling-place  {in  the  wild 
gorges  of  Sinai)  had  been  strong,  and  their  nest  had 
been  in  the  rocks ;  but  they  would  in  the  end  be  wasted, 
and  Assyria  would  carry  them  away  captive.^'  The  fate 
of  Israel  was  one  day  to  overwhelm  them  also ! 

»  Judg.  i.  16;  iv.  11, 17.  ^  ^^^^  x.  29. 

^  Num.  xxiv.  21. 


136  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

When  Jericlio  had  fallen^  tlie  Kenites  withdrew  from 
a  mode  of  life  no  long-er  congenial  to  them^  and  betook 
themselves,  with  Judah,  to  the  free  air  of  the  wilderness 
reaching  away  to  the  south  and  west  of  the  conquered 
city.  Judah,  as  yet,  had  to  gain  a  footing  in  the  richer 
parts  of  its  future  territory,  and  for  the  time  had  to 
content  itself  with  the  stony  u]3lands  of  the  Negeb. 
Here  the  Kenites  lived  in  intercourse  so  cordial  with 
the  Lion  tribe,  that,  many  centuries  after,  they  were 
still  inscribed  in  the  lists  of  the  descendants  of  Judah, 
as  if  counted  among  them.^  Some,  laying  aside  their 
nomadic  habits,  became,  indeed,  actually  incorporated 
with  Israel,  and  devoted  themselves  to  the  learned 
profession  of  scribes,^  with  their  head-quarters  at  a 
village  called  Jabez,  apparently  near  Bethlehem.  In 
some  unknown  way  they  even  seem  to  have  become 
connected  with  Boaz,  the  grandfather  of  David. 

But  the  bulk  of  the  clan  remained  true  to  their  Arab 
tastes,  and  preferred  a  roaming  life  among  the  wild 
tribes  of  the  south.  Even  there,  however,  they  retained 
a  kindly  place  in  the  memory  of  the  Israelites,  for,  four 
hundred  years  after  the  taking  of  Jericho,  we  find  Saul 
sending  a  friendly  message  to  them  to  remove  their 
tents  from  among  those  of  the  Amalekites,  against 
whom  he  was  about  to  conduct  a  force ;  ^  and  David 
distributed  part  of  the  spoil  of  these  desert  robbers 
among  them,  when,  at  a  later  time,  he  well  nigh  de- 
stroyed the  marauders."* 

The  last  notice  of  these  southern  Kenites  is  striking. 
Five  hundred  years  after  David,  Jerusalem  was  in  sore 
straits,  and  about  to  fall  before  the  arms  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar.    The   faithful    Kenites,    unwilling   to  let  their 

»  Judg.  i.  16.  2  1  Chron.  ii.  55. 

«  1  earn.  XV.  6.  *  1  gam.  xxx.  29.  . 


JAEIi.  137 

ancient  ally  and  kindred  blood  perish  without  assist- 
ance, left  their  deserts,  and  threw  themselves  into  the 
imperilled  city,  whose  fate  they  doubtless  shared,  by 
being  carried  off  with  Judah  and  Benjamin  to  Babylon. 

By  a  strange  vow  or  rule  introduced  by  the  head  of 
this  part  of  the  clan  the  use  of  wine  or  strong  drink  of 
any  kind  had  been  prohibited.  True  to  their  Bedouin 
instincts  they  were,  further,  required  to  build  no  houses, 
and  neither  to  sow  nor  plant  vineyards,  and  they  had 
kept  this  so  faithfully,  and  had  been  so  loyal  to  Jeru- 
salem, that  Jeremiah  pronounced  a  blessing  on  them :  ^ 
*' Jonadab  the  son  of  Eechab"— "The  rider "—"  shall 
not  want  a  man  to  stand  before  Grod  for  ever.'' 

Strange  to  say,  Wolff,  the  missionary,  in  our  own 
days,  affirmed  that  he  met  a  tribe  of  Arabs  numbering 
ten  thousand,  who  told  him  that  they  were  descendants 
of  this  very  Jonadab. 

But,  besides  these  southern  Kenites,  there  was 
another  branch  which  moved  from  Sinai  to  the  north 
of  Palestine,  and  pitched  their  tents  under  "the  Oaks 
of  the  strangers,"  near  Kadesh-naphtali,  on  the  green 
hills  overlooking  El  Huleh,  or  Merom.  The  sheik  of 
this  encampment  was  Heber,  and  his  chief  wife,  the 
Jael  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  this  chapter. 

The  times  were  very  troubled  when  Heber  came  to 
these  parts.  Jabin,  the  Canaanite  king  of  Hazor,  a 
district  south  of  El  Huleh  and  west  of  the  upper  end 
of  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  had  overcome  the  northern 
tribes,  and  kept  them  in  cruel  subjection  by  the  help 
of  a  strong  force  of  iron  chariots.^  He  was  but  a  petty 
dignitary,  however,  and  Heber  was  strong  enough,  as 
head  of  a  clan,  to  make  an  alliance  with  him,  securing 
his  own  quiet  by  a  promise  of  neutrality.  This  he  had, 
1  Jer.  XXXV.  19.  ^  Judg.  iv.  3. 


138  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

hitherto^  faithfully  and  not  unselfisUy  kept.  But  tlio 
heart  of  Jael^  at  least,  had  yearned  to  do  something 
to  help  the  immemorial  friends  of  her  people,  now  so 
crushed  and  broken. 

The  rout  of  Sisera  by  Barak — "  The  lightning  " — and 
Deborah — '^The  bee^^ — brought  her  an  opportunity. 
The  flood  of  the  Kishon  had  converted  Esdraelon,  in 
part,  into  a  vast  quagmire,  in  which  the  chariots  of 
the  Canaanites  could  neither  advance  nor  retreat ;  and 
the  fierce  attack  of  the  Israelites,  while  the  confusion 
was  at  its  height,  threw  the  whole  force  into  panic  and 
headlong  ruin  and  flight.  Sisera,  urging  his  chariot  to 
the  fastest,  fled  homewards.  But  the  chase  after  him 
was  so  hot  that,  ere  long,  he  sought  greater  safety  by 
alighting,  and  turned  aside,  on  foot,  up  the  side  glens 
of  the  hills. 

No  hiding-place  off'ered,  however,  till  he  was  far 
north  of  his  home,  and  then,  at  last,  the  tents  of  Heber, 
the  ally  of  his  master,  appeared  in  sight. 

However  we  may  admire  the  feeling  from  which  Jael 
acted  in  what  followed,  it  is  impossible,  with  the  higher 
morality  of  Jesus  Christ  as  our  standard,  not  to  con- 
demn the  deceit  and  falsehood  by  which  she  efi'ected 
her  purpose. 

The  tents  of  the  women  in  an  Arab  encampment  are 
inviolable  by  man  under  any  circumstances.  Sisera, 
worn  out  and  utterly  exhausted  though  he  was,  would 
not  have  dreamed  of  entering  one,  and,  unfortunately, 
as  it  seemed,  Heber  was  not  at  hand.  But  Jael,  with 
hateful  duplicity,  was  ready  to  overcome  the  weary 
man^s  scruples. 

Going  out  of  her  tent  she  hurried  to  meet  him,  and 
pressed  him,  with  repeated  invitations,  to  take  refuge 
in   it.      No    one   would   think   of    seeking   him   there. 


JAEL.  139 

Induced  at  last  by  her  urgency,  lie  went  in,  and  then, 
with  a  heightened  treachery,  she  pretended  to  hide  him 
under  a  cloak  or  cloth.  The  fever  of  long-continued 
over-exertion  would  not,  however,  let  the  fugitive  sleep. 
'^  Would  she  kindly  add  to  her  many  favours  that  of  a 
draught  of  water,  for  he  was  very  thirsty  ?  "  But  water 
was  not  good  enough.  She  would  give  him  something 
better.  So  she  opened  a  leather  skin  of  curdled  milk, 
the  favourite  drink  of  the  Arab,  and  gave  him  a 
draught  in  the  finest  bowl  in  her  tent ;  covering  him 
carefully  when  he  had  finished,  doubtless  with  many 
counsels  to  sleep  soundly,  and  many  assurances  of  his 
perfect  safety.  The  drink  she  had  given  him  is  a 
strong  narcotic,  and  would  soon  make  him  helpless  in 
deep  slumber. 

Still  he  could  not  sleep  till  he  had  made  a  final  pro- 
vision for  his  safety.  The  terror  of  the  battle  was  still 
on  him.  "  Would  she  kindly  stand  in  the  door  of  the 
tent,  and  if  any  man  came  asking  if  there  were  a  man 
within,  would  she  be  so  good  as  save  his  life  by  saying 
there  was  not  ?  '^  Jael  was  ready  to  promise  this  also, 
and  then,  at  last,  the  tired  soldier  sank  into  a  profound 
sleep. 

It  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  have  pledged  herself 
more  sacredly  to  protect  another  than  Jael  had  done  to 
Sisera.  To  let  him  enter  her  tent  at  all  was  a  solemn 
guarantee  of  protection,  and  every  addition  of  act  and 
word  had  been  given  besides,  that  he  might  perfectly 
trust  her. 

Yet  he  was  no  sooner  in  a  deep  drowse  than  the 
hideous  treachery  she  intended  had  full  play.  Taking 
one  of  the  long,  sharp,  wooden  pins  sunk  in  the  earth 
to  hold  the  ropes  of  the  tent,  and  lifting  the  heavy 
mallet  with  which  they  were  commonly  driven  home, 


140  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

slie  crept  up  to  tlie  sleeping  man^  and  witli  one  terrible 
blow,  drove  tbe  pin  clear  into  bis  skull  at  tbe  temples. 
He  bad  only  strengtb  to  make  a  convulsive  bound,  and 
fell  dead  at  ber  feet.  But  sbe  was  not  contented  till 
assurance  was  doubly  sure,  and  witb  repeated  blows 
drove  tbe  buge  pin  quite  tbrougb  tbe  bead,  and  fastened 
it  into  tbe  eartb.^ 

It  is  easy  to  fancy  tbat  tbe  women  of  Israel  would 
see  only  tbe  deliverance  wbicb  tbe  deed  of  Jael  bad 
brougbt  tbem,  and  would,  as  Deborab  said,  praise  ber 
in  tbeir  tents  above  all  tbe  women  of  ber  day ;  but  tbe 
morality  of  ber  act  was  not  tbe  less  bateful.  Wbat  tbe 
result  may  bave  been  of  sucli  a  flagrant  outrage  on 
Heber's  ally,  Jabin  of  Hazor,  and  on  all  tbe  laws  of 
Arab  bospitality  and  common  fidelity,  is  not  related. 
It  is  noticeable,  bowever,  tbat  wbile  tbe  soutbern 
part  of  tbe  clan  is  mentioned  over  and  over  again  in 
tbe  story  of  Israel,  tbe  nortbern  disappears. 

Tbe  temporary  alliance,  from  expediency  alone,  bad 
lasted  wbile  no  strain  bad  tried  it,  but  in  tbe  bour  wben 
it  was  needed  most  it  gave  way,  before  tbe  traditional 
friendsbip  of  centuries  and  tbe  ties  of  common  descent. 
Tbe  end  was  noble  enougb;  tbe  means  brave  to  a 
marvel;  but  tbe  beart  tbat  could  bave  planned  and 
carried  tbem  out  was  anytbing  ratber  tban  tbat  of  a 
woman. 

>  Judff.  iv.  18-21. 


DEBOHAH. 


TWENTY-FIYE  years  after  his  triumpliaiit  passage 
of  tlie  Jordan^  Joshua  was  laid  to  rest  in  his  own 
town  of  Timnatli-serali, — "The  remaining  portion/' — 
among  the  hills  twenty  mil<3S  north-jvest  of  Jerusalem, 
in  the  territory  of  his  own  tribe,  Ephraim.  The  spell 
of  his  grand  integrity  and  simple  zeal  for  Jehovah  had 
kept  Israel  to  a  worthy  standard  of  public  life  and 
religious  profession  while  he  remained  among  them, 
and  a  similar  healthful  influence  passed,  after  his  death, 
to  the  chiefs  of  the  different  tribes  who  had  been 
associated  with  him.  In  the  simple  words  of  the  writer 
of  the  Book  of  Joshua,  "  The  people  served  Jehovah  all 
the  days  of  Joshua,  and  all  the  days  of  the  elders  that 
outlived  Joshua,  who  had  seen  all  the  great  works  of 
Jehovah,  that  He  did  for  Israel." 

No  provision  for  the  common  government  or  political 
union  of  the  tribes  had,  however,  been  made,  and  each 
became  an  independent  clan  after  Joshua's  death.  The 
central  hill-district  of  Canaan  had  been  wrested  from 
the  native  populations,  but  Israel  Avas  still  hemmed 
in  by  them  on  every  side,  and  had  before  it  a  long 
period  of  confusion  and  struggle  before  they  could  be 
driven  back  sufficiently  to  give  full  room  to  the  in- 
vaders.    It  was  the  earlier  counterpart  of   the  Saxon 


HI 


142  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

conquest  of  England — separate  tribes  carrying  on  local 
wars  against  tlie  stubborn  resistance  of  tlie  original 
races_,  througli  a  long  course  of  successive  generations. 

Joshua's  conquest  bad  broken  tbeir  power  for  a  time_, 
but  the  dissolution  of  the  Hebrew  confederacy  at  bis 
death  had  given  them  new  hopes^  and  the  whole  land 
burst  out  into  fierce  attempts  to  regain  its  former 
position.  Judah  had  to  fight  the  Canaanite  in  the  hill 
country_,  in  the  Negeb^  or  southern  district^  and  in  the 
Shephelah,  or  sea-coast  plain.  Hebron,  and  Debir^ 
''The  city  of  the  scribes/' — on  the  ridge  four  or  five 
miles  to  the  west  of  it,  had  to  be  taken  once  more. 
Gaza,  Askelon,  and  Ekron,  in  the  Philistine  plain,  were 
wrested  from  the  Canaanites,  for  the  warlike  Philistines 
had  not  yet  risen  to  their  future  power,  though  they 
had  been  in  the  land  since  before  the  days  of  Isaac. 
But  only  the  hill  country  could  be  retained ;  for  the  iron 
chariots  of  the  old  races  scoured  the  lowlands,  and  con- 
stantly drove  back  the  Hebrews.  Jerusalem  was  taken 
by  Judah  and  Benjamin,  but  the  Jebusites  still  re- 
mained in  it,  and  ere  long  wrested  it  from  the  con- 
querors, and  kept  it  for  more  than  four  hundred  years, 
till  the  time  of  David.  The  tribe  of  Ephraim  had  to 
fight  against  Bethel  once  more;  and,  north  of  them, 
in  the  future  territory  of  Samaria,  the  half  tribe  of 
Manasseh  could  not  drive  out  the  Canaanites  from  the 
rich  valley  of  Bethshean  on  the  Jordan,  nor  from  Dor, 
in  the  plain  of  Sharon,  on  the  sea-coast,  nor  from 
Taanach,  Megiddo,  and  Ibleam,  which  shut  them  out 
from  the  magnificent  plain  of  Esdraelon.  On  the  south 
of  their  territory,  moreover,  they  were  forced  to  leave 
Gezer,  overhanging  the  Philistine  plain,  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  On  the  north  edge  of  Esdraelon,  Sep- 
phoris,  resting  like  ''  a  bird,"  on  its   hill,  successfully 


DEBORAH.  143 

resisted  Zebulun,  and  Asher  wliolly  failed  to  drive  out 
the  Canaanites  from  Acrc-^  Zidon^  and  other  towns 
and  cities  on  the  northern  sea-coast  plain,  or  near  it. 
East  of  Asher,  Naphtali  was  equally  powerless  to  gain 
complete  possession  of  the  bounds  assigned  it_,  in 
anticipation,  by  Joshua.  Beth-shemesh — the  town  of 
the  "Temple  of  the  Sun "—Beth-anath— that  of  the 
"Temple  of  the  Oracle" — continued  mainly  Canaanite. 
Dan,  on  the  south  of  Ephraim  and  west  of  Benjamin, 
was  even  more  unsuccessful,  for  the  Amorites  kept  pos- 
session of  the  fertile  valleys,  and  forced  them  to  con- 
tent themselves  with  the  hilly  pastures.  Everywhere 
Israel  shared  its  land  with  the  original  tribes,  and 
succeeded  only  after  centuries  in  forcing  them  even 
to  pay  tribute. 

The  result  of  this  intermixture  with  heathenism  was 
a  speedy  decline  in  the  worship  of  Jehovah.  The  at- 
tractions of  idolatry  were  irresistible  to  a  rude  people 
like  the  Hebrews  of  those  ages,  especially  when  asso- 
ciated with  the  temptations  of  a  grossly  sensual  faith. 
The  early  zeal  and  purity  of  the  nation  gave  way  to  the 
corruption  around  them,  and  their  division  into  inde- 
pendent tribes  conspired  Avith  this  religious  degeneracy, 
to  make  them  an  easy  prey  to  the  constant  efforts  ol 
the  Canaanites  and  others  to  overcome  them. 

Two  hundred  years  of  this  wild  confusion  and  trouble 
had  passed,. only  to  find  matters,  if  possible,  worse  than 
ever.  A  confederacy  of  the  Canaanites  under  Jabin — 
^^  The  clear-headed  " — king  of  Hazor,  a  town  on  tho 
hills,  a  few  miles  north  of  Nazareth,  and  west  of  Caper- 
naum, had  for  a  time  utterly  crushed  the  northern 
tribes.  His  general,  Sisera — "  The  warrior  " — lived 
among  the  hills,  twenty  miles  to  the  north,  in  the  town 
of  Harosheth — "  The  carver's  and  mason's  town  " — and 


144  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

had  under  liini,  besides  other  forces^  no  fewer  than  nine 
hundred  of  the  iron  chariots  so  much  dreaded  by  Israel. 
Awed  by  such  power_,  it  lay  helpless^  in  these  northern 
parts^  for  twenty  years^  under  the  bitterest  oppression. 

But  while  the  men  of  the  nation  had  lost  hope  and 
heart_,  a  brave  woman  who  passed,  through  the  land,  as 
a  prophetess,  and  was  accepted  by  multitudes  as  judge  in 
civil  and  criminal  matters,  had  kept  both.  Her  name  was 
Deborah — ^'  The  bee  " — a  matron,  wife  of  one  Lapidoth 
— "  The  torch  ^' — of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  Her  home 
was  in  the  uplands  between  Eamah  and  Bethel,  a  little 
way  north  of  Jerusalem,  and  there  she  held  a  solemn 
tribunal,  from  time  to  time,  under  a  well-known  palm- 
tree,  "  and  the  children  of  Israel  came  up  to  her  for 
judgment  '^  in  their  causes. 

A  hundred  miles  to  the  north,  in  the  centre  of  the 
oppressed  district,  in  the  town  of  Kedesh,  in  Naphtali, 
close  to  Lake  Merom,  lived  one  whom  she  resolved  to 
make  the  instrument  of  the  deliverance  of  the  subject 
tribes.  His  name  Barak — "  The  lightning  " — was  of 
Canaanite  origin,  and  appears  again  in  that  of  Hamilcar 
Barhas,  the  great  father  of  the  still  greater  Hannibal. 
He  was  the  son  of  one  who  bore  a  Hebrew  name,  Abinoam 
— "  The  gracious  father  " — but  the  times  showed  them- 
selves in  his  own  name,  borrowed  from  the  alien. 

The  heroic  Deborah  looked  to  Barak  as  the  leader  in 
the  rising  she  contemplated.  Sending  to  him,  as  if  to 
one  from  whom  she  expected  compliance,  she  announced 
that  Jehovah  had  commanded  him,  through  her,  to  sum- 
mon a  force  of  ten  thousand  men  of  Naphtali  and  Zebu- 
lun,  the  oppressed  tribes,  to  meet  him  on  the  broad  top 
of  Mount  Tabor,  overhanging  Esdraelon,  on  the  north- 
east, and  promised  that  on  his  doing  so  He  would 
deliver  Sisera,  with  all  his  dreaded  chariots,  into  his 


DEBORAH.  145 

hands.  But  Barak  had  not  the  greatness  of  soul  of 
Deborah^  and  would  not  stir  unless  she  joined  him. 
Hurrying  to  the  north  she  was  with  him  forth- 
with. 

At  the  news  of  the  revolt,  Sisera  was  instantly  afoot 
and  covered  Esdraelon,  the  one  fitting  battle-field  of 
Palestine,  with  his  terrible  array.  A  river  called 
Kishon — "  The  winding  ^^ — dry,  for  most  of  its  course, 
in  summer,  swells  in  winter  and  after  the  rains,  into 
a  torrent,  and  gathering  into  one  channel  the  rash  of 
waters  from  all  the  side  valleys  of  the  Nazareth  hills 
and  the  Carmel  range,  north  and  south,  pours  in  a  deep 
stream,  for  the  time,  to  the  sea.  After  sudden  rain- 
storms it  flows  with  so  fierce  and  strong  a  current,  that 
a  few  hours  convert  dry  ravines  into  impassable  floods, 
and  the  whole  ground  in  some  parts  becomes  a  morass, 
impracticable  even  for  single  travellers.  What  was  firm 
soil  becomes  presently  quicksands,  full  of  danger  to 
man  and  beast. 

A  sudden  storm  sweeping  from  the  sea  was  the  sign  to 
Deborah  that  the  moment  for  the  great  attempt  had 
come.  Her  genius  saw  the  chance  it  gave  of  paralysing 
Sisera  by  making  the  plain  useless  for  chariots,  and  of 
cutting  him  ofl  by  its  destroying  his  power  to  retreat. 
Rousing  Barak  to  action,  the  Hebrews  rushed  down 
unexpectedly  on  their  enemy,  with  the  promised  result. 
Surprised  and  thrown  into  confusion,  the  very  size  of 
Sisera's  army  was  its  ruin.  Nothing  remained  but 
flight,  and  yet  that  was  ruinous.  As  in  the  battle  of 
Tabor  in  1799  the  fugitive  Turks  were  drowned  in  great 
numbers  in  the  swollen  torrents,  so  Sisera's  forces, 
panic-struck,  thrown  into  helpless  disorder,  and  driven 
pell-mell  into  the  flooded  streams  and  shaking  quag- 
mires, were  utterly  routed  and  ruined. 


146  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEBS. 

Sisera,  broken  and  lost,  fled  with  tlie  wreck  of  his 
chariots  through  the  passes  of  the  hills  to  the  north, 
towards  Harosheth,  his  home  and  head-quarters.  But 
Barak — ^'^  lightning '^  like — pressed  so  closely  behind, 
that  at  last  his  foe  had  to  flee  afoot  for  his  life.  Turn- 
ing eastwards  from  the  road,  he  made  for  the  tents  of 
Heber,  the  Kenite,  a  descendant  of  Jethro,  the  father- 
in-law  of  Moses,  who  had  left  Sinai  to  settle  in  Pales- 
tine, a  few  miles  from  Jabin's  town,  Hazor.  There  was 
peace  by  a  formal  treaty,  as  was  wont,  between  Heber 
and  Jabin,  so  that  Sisera  had  a  right  to  expect  shelter 
and  safety.  Between  two  clans  at  peace  there  was 
strict  mutual  fidelity,  except  in  the  rarest  cases,  for 
treachery  to  the  oath  of  alliance  was  abhorrent  to  the 
feelings  of  the  age. 

But  the  times  were  out  of  joint,  and  if  Heber  were 
friendly  with  Jabin  from  policy,  he  was  still  more  so 
to  Israel  from  ancient  tribal  connections.  Coming  to 
the  welcome  tents,  Sisera  made  for  that  of  Jael, 
Heber's  wife,  thinking  he  would  be  safest  in  the  tent 
of  a  woman,  which  no  man  would  be  thought  to  have 
entered.     The  result  we  have  already  seen. 

That  Jael  should  thus  have  betrayed  Sisera,  and  that 
Deborah  should  have  praised  her  act,  are  characteristics 
of  the  barbarous  age  in  which  they  lived.  An  enemy 
was,  in  those  days,  no  more  than  the  wild  beast  that 
wastes  a  land,  and  to  snare  him  by  deceit  was  thought 
as  little  amiss  as  to  prepare  a  pitfall  for  a  wolf,  or  to 
spread  tempting  bait  to  lure  it  to  its  death.  Chris- 
tianity was  then  thirteen  hundred  years  in  the  future. 

The  victory  was  not  left  unsung.  Deborah  was 
skilled  in  the  poetic  utterance  that  has  in  all  ages 
marked  prophets  and  prophetesses,  and  has  left  us  a 
song  of  triumph  which  is  one  of  the  earliest  composi- 


DEBOEAH.  147 

tions  of  tlie  kind  in  existence.     I  submit  the  following 
as  a  close  translation  : — 

That  tlie  chiefs  of  Israel  led  (forth  to  the  fight), 
That  the  people  freely  gave  themselves  (to  battle)  ; 

Praise  be  to  Jehovah  ! 
Hear,  ye  kings  ;  ye  princes,  give  ear. 
I  will  sing,  I  will  sing  to  Jehovah ; 
I  will  strike  the  lyre  to  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israeli 

Jehovah !  when  Thou  wentest  forth  from  Seir, 

When  Thou  marchedst  hither  from  the  land  of  Edom, 

The  earth  trembled,  the  heavens  were  darkened  in  storm. 

The  clouds  poured  down  their  waters  ! 

The  mountains  shook  before  Jehovah, 

Even  Sinai  itself,  before  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel. 

In  the  days  of  Shamgar,  son  of  Anath, — 

In  the  days  of  Jael,— the  highways  were  untrodden. 

Men  stole  on  their  way  by  secret  by-paths  j 

Eule  ceased  in  Israel ;  it  ceased. 

Till  I,  Deborah,  arose. 

Till  I  arose,  a  mother  in  Israel. 

Israel  (forsaking  Jehovah)  chose  new  gods ; 
Then  war  stormed  at  her  gates  : 
Not  a  shield  was  seen,  or  a  spear. 
In  forty  thousand  of  Israel. 

My  heart  is  towards  the  rulers  of  Israel : 
Towards  the  sons  of  the  people  who  came  forth  freely  t 
Praise  be  to  Jehovah ! 

Sing,  ye  (nobles)  that  ride  on  white  she -asses; 
Ye  (rich)  who  sit  upon  carpets. 
Ye  (poor)  that  walk  on  the  highways. 
Sing  louder  than  they  that  divide  the  spoil 
By  the  watering-troughs  of  the  flocks  ; 
Kehearse  ye  the  righteousness  of  Jehovah, 
The  righteous  acts  of  His  rule  in  Israel ! 

For  the  people  of  Jehovah  went  down  to  the  gates  (of  their 
enemies) ! 


148  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEKS. 

Awake  !  awake  !  Deborah, 

Awake  !  awake  !  give  forth  a  song ! 

Arise,  Barak !     Lead  away  thy  captives,  thoii  son  of  Abinoam ! 

The  remnant  of  Israel  went  forth  to  battle— leaders  and 
people — 

To  me  (Deborah)  amidst  the  mighty  ones,  did  Jehovah  (Him- 
self) come  forth. 

(They  come)— a  band  from  Ephraim — the  tribe  rooted  in  the 

hills  of  Amalek — 
With  them,  among  their  people,  came  Benjamin ; 
From  Manasseh,  sons  of  Machir,  leaders  of  men,  came  forth; 
From  Zebnlun,  heroes  bearing  the  staves  of  chieftains ; 
The  chiefs  of  Issachar  came,  with  Deborah ; 
With  Issachar,  also,  came  Barak  ; — 
They  rushed  afoot  (to  the  battle)  in  the  valley  (of  Kishon). 

By  the  brooks  of  Eeuben 

Were  great  assemblies  and  consultations. 

Why  didst  thou  stay  (in  safety)  amidst  thy  folds 

To  listen  to  the  flutes  of  the  shepherds  ? 

By  the  brooks  of  Reuben 

Were  great  assemblies  and  consultations ! 

Gad  lingered  in  Gilead,  on  the  far  side  of  Jordan  ; 

And  why  tarried  Dan  (on  the  coast)  by  his  ships  P 

Asher  lingered  on  the  sea- shore 

And  would  not  leave  his  harbours ! 

The  people  of  Zebulun  scorned  their  lives,  even  to  the  death, 
Naphtali,  theirs,  on  the  heights  of  the  field ! 

The  kings  came ;  they  fought : 

The  kings  of  Canaan  fought 

At  Taanach,  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo. 

Not  a  single  piece  of  silver  was  their  booty,' 
(The  hosts  of  God)  fought  for  us  from  heaven ; 
The  stars,  from  their  paths,  fought  against  Sisera; 
The  river  Kishon  swept  the  enemy  away  ! 
A  stream  of  ancient  fame  is  the  river  Kishon ! 

*  The  booty  of  the  Canaanites. 


DEBOEAH.  149 


Sing  on,  my  soul,  with  power ! 


There,  stamped  the  hoofs  of  the  horses  as  they  fled, 
"When  the  mighty  ones  were  chased  afar  ! 

Curse  ye  Meroz,  said  the  angel  of  Jehovah, 
Curse  ye  bitterly  her  inhabitants, 
For  they  came  not  out  to  the  help  of  Jehovah, 
To  the  help  of  Jehovah  against  the  mighty  ones  I 

Blessed  above  women,  Jael, 
Wife  of  Hebcr,  the  Kenite, 
Blessed  above  women  in  the  tent ! 

He  asked  water :  she  gave  him  new  milk ; 

She  brought  him  curdled  milk  in  a  princely  bowl; 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  to  the  tent-pin, 

Her  right  hand  to  the  workman's  hammer : 

She  smote  through  and  through ;  she  pierced  through  his 

temples — 
At  her  feet  he  sank,  he  fell,  he  lay — 
At  her  feet  he  fell,  he  lay — 
Where  he  bowed,  there  he  lay,  dead ! 

The  mother  of  Sisera  kept  looking  out  from  her  window, 

And  calling  aloud  through  the  lattice — 

"  Why  tarries  his  chariot's  coming  ? 

Why  tarry  the  wheels  of  the  chariots  with  himP  '' 

The  wisest  of  her  maidens  answer  her. 

But  she  still  repeats  to  herself  the  words. 

"  How  could  they  return  so  soon,"  (said  the  maidens), 

"  Have  they  not  found  much  spoil  ? 

And  arc  they  not  staying  to  divide  it  ? 

A  maiden,  ay,  perchance,  two  for  each  man  I 

For  Sisera,  booty  of  brightly-dyed  cloths. 

Booty  of  many-coloured  robes  ! 

Hich  scarves  for  the  neck  of  Sisera's  wife ! " 

So  perish  all  thine  enemies,  Jehovah  ! 

But  let  those  that  love  Thee 

Be  as  the  sun  going  forth  in  his  strength  I 


..;=tfy^  (T) 

^^^^^^^^^^© 

^m 

GIDEON. 

THE  long  and  troubled  times  of  tlie  Judges^  extend- 
ing, at  tlie  lowest  computation,  over  more  than 
three  hundred  years,  had  been  brightened  for  a  while 
by  the  rise  of  Deborah  and  the  moral  and  material 
results  of  her  great  victory  over  Sisera.  For  forty 
years  after  the  overthrow  of  the  Canaanites  on  that 
momentous  day  the  land  had  rest. 

But  it  is  the  inevitable  result  of  the  division  of  a 
country  into  petty  independent  governments,  that  the 
weakness  induced  exposes  it  to  easy  invasion  and  con- 
quest. Palestine,  which  is  only  about  the  size  of 
Wales,  and  was  still  largely  held  by  the  former  in- 
habitants, was  subdivided  by  the  Hebrews  into  many 
tribal  governments,  as  England  in  the  Saxon  period 
was  broken  up  into  Essex,  Wessex,  Mercia,  Kent, 
Sussex,  and  several  other  kingdoms ;  and  was,  hence, 
in  constant  danger  of  inroad  and  subjugation.  To  the 
nomadic  tribes  of  the  desert,  which  stretched  to  the 
borders  of  the  land  on  the  east  and  south,  the  valleys 
of  Gilead  and  Bashan,  and  the  fertile  plains  of  Central 
Canaan,  were  an  irresistible  temptation,  stretching  out 
as  they  did  like  paradises  of  green,  before  eyes  wearied 

with  the  yellow  sand  or  dry  barrenness  of  the  wilder- 

iso 


GIDEON.  151 

ness.  Israel  itself,  when  only  so  many  wandering 
tribes,  had  forced  a  way  into  these  oases,  and  had  held 
them,  and  there  seemed  no  reason  why  other  races 
should  not,  like  them,  exchange  the  desert  for  a  home 
so  fair,  at  least  during  the  summer  and  harvest  of  each 
year,  by  overpowering  Israel  in  turn. 

The  forty  years'  rest  after  Deborah's  triumph  was 
rudely  broken  by  inroads  excited  in  this  hope.  A 
great  confederation  of  the  Arab  tribes,  like  that  which, 
at  an  earlier  day,  had  given  the  Shepherd  Kings  to 
Egypt,  poured  into  Palestine.  Midianites,  Amalekites, 
and  all  "the  children  of  the  east,"  far  and  near,  in 
countless  numbers,  with  immense  trains  of  camels,  and 
of  cattle,  and  flocks,  streamed  up  the  steep  wadys  from 
the  fords  of  Jordan,  and  swept  all  resistance  before 
them,  from  Esdraelon,  on  the  north,  to  Gaza,  on  the 
extreme  south.  No  sooner  had  the  fields  been  sown 
each  year,  than  these  wild  hordes  reappeared,  covering 
the  hill  pastures  and  the  fertile  valleys,  in  turn,  with 
their  tents ;  driving  ofi"  every  sheep,  or  goat,  or  ox,  or 
ass,  they  could  find,  and  seizing  all  hoards  of  grain 
they  could  discover,  saved  from  the  few  fields  that  had 
escaped  destruction  by  their  endless  flocks  and  herds. 
No  visitation  could  be  more  terrible,  for  there  was 
neither  food  nor  live  stock  left  in  the  land.  Fire  and 
sword  spread  terror  on  every  side  ;  desperate  resistance 
by  isolated  bands  of  Hebrews  only  led  to  the  massacre 
of  these  brave  defenders  of  their  homes,  and  at  last 
safety  and  even  existence  seemed  possible  only  by  the 
population  taking  refuge  in  the  numerous  caves  of  the 
hills,  and  in  strongholds  on  hill  tops. 

Among  the  sufferers  in  these  evil  days,  however,  was 
one  whom  a  long  training  in  desultory  resistance  was 
gradually  fitting,  under  God,  to  be  the  deliverer  of  his 


152  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

nation.  He  had  suffered  bitterly  in  the  forays  of  the 
past  yearSj  for  a  number  of  his  family^  men  noble  and 
commanding  in  stature^  as  he  himself  was^  had  perished 
at  Tabor,  in  conflict  with  the  invaders.^  He  was  a 
cadet  of  an  insignificant  "thousand'^  or  ^^ family'^  of 
Manasseh,  but  his  bravery  had  already  made,  him 
known  as  a  hero  well  worthy  of  his  name — Gideon — 
"The  fierce  warrior/^  Ophrah_,  his  home^  lay  in  the 
hills  of  Central  Palestine,  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
district  most  affected  by  the  Arab  forays,  and  there, 
amidst  the  wide-spread  religious  degeneracy  of  his 
people,  he  bore  himself  no  less  manfully  as  a  faithful 
servant  of  Jehovah  than  as  a  fearless  champion  of 
liberty.  Others  might  trace  the  public  calamities  to 
what  causes  they  liked,  he  felt  that  they  came  from 
Jehovah  having  forsaken  Israel,  for  its  sins.  From  his 
first  appearance  to  his  last,  he  is  never  ashamed  to  own 
his  loyalty  to  the  God  of  his  fathers. 

When  the  times  were  darkest,  the  hearts  of  the 
people  were  once  more  stirred  to  religious  earnestness, 
by  the  rise  of  a  prophet  who  thus  fearlessly  ascribed 
their  sufferings  to  their  having  apostatized  from  their 
own  faith,  to  serve  the  gods  of  the  Amorites — the  hill 
tribes  more  immediately  in  contact  with  the  Hebrews. 
It  was  the  first  muttering  of  a  storm  of  revived  popular 
zeal,  which  was  ere  long,  under  the  wise  guidance  of 
Gideon,  to  burst,  and  overwhelm  the  invader. 

Autumn  of  the  seventh  year  of  the  Bedouin  inroads 
had  come,  when  a  Divine  call  summoned  Gideon  to 
head  his  countrymen  against  the  enemy.  He  was 
threshing  wheat  on  the  floor  of  one  of  the  many  wine- 
presses hewn  out  of  the  sides  of  the  hills,  for  he  could 
not  do  so  in  the  open  fields,  as  he  otherwise  would^  for 
*  Judojes  viii.  18. 


GIDEON.  163 

fear  of  the  Arab  plunderers.  A  terebintli  tree  at  hand 
offered  liim  a  grateful  shade  from  the  hot  sun.  Sud- 
denly Gideon  became  aware  of  the  presence  of  one 
who,  by  the  staff  in  his  hand,  might  have  been  mis- 
taken for  an  ordinary  traveller.  It  was  no  other,  how- 
ever, than  ^'the  Angel  of  Jehovah,^^  come  to  Gideon 
as  He  had  to  Moses,  and  Joshua,  and  the  patriarchs. 
The  hero  was  forthwith  to  go  in  the  might  then 
granted  him,  and  save  Israel  from  the  hands  of  the 
Midianites.  With  the  diffidence  of  a  noble  nature, 
however,  Gideon  shrank  from  assuming  such  a  task. 
*^  His  family  was  poor  in  Manasseh,  and  he  was  the 
least  in  his  father's  house. ^^  But  a  heavenly  sign 
presently  awed  him  into  submission.  The  food  he 
brought,  in  accordance  with  Eastern  hospitality,  was 
consumed  by  fire  springing  from  the  rock  at  the  touch 
of  the  angel's  staff.  Awed  at  the  sight,  he  could  think 
only  of  the  anger  of  Jehovah  so  visibly  shown  around, 
and  expected  presently  to  die.  But  God  had  come  in 
mercy,  and  calmed  his  fears.  It  was  the  dawn  of  hope 
for  Israel,  and  was  fitly  recognised  by  Gideon's  building 
an  altar  on  the  spot,  with  the  fitting  name,  '^  Jehovah  is 
(once  more)  jDeace.'' 

That  night  a  second  revelation  was  granted,  imposing 
a  new  command.  The  religious  zeal  which  alone  could 
secure  support  to  Gideon  among  the  people,  in  his  war 
of  deliverance,  demanded  a  public  protest  against  the 
idolatry  into  which  the  natives  had  fallen,  to  rouse 
better  feelings  through  the  land.  Joash,  Gideon's 
father,  had  adopted  the  idolatrous  practices  of  the 
nation  at  large,  and,  in  sinful  despair  of  help  from 
Jehovah,  had  built,  on  the  summit  of  the  rock  on 
which  his  sept  had  entrenched  themselves,  an  altar  of 
Baal,  the  Sun-god  of  his  Canaanite  neighbours.    Along- 


154 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTER3. 


side  of  it_,  seen  far  and  near,  stood  a  huge  Aslierali,^ 
or  sjonbol  of  AsMoretli  tlie  consort  of  Baal ;  appar- 
ently tlie  rough  stem  of  a  tree.  Two  oxen  of  Joash. 
were  that  night  to  be  taken  to  drag  down  the  altar  j  the 
idolatrous  Asherah  was  to  be  cut  down ;  an  altar  built 
to  Jehovah^  and  one  of  the  oxen  offered  as  a  burnt- 
sacrifice  to  Him;  the  sacred  Asherah  supplying  the 
needed  fuel.  With  the  quick  decision  that  marks  a 
strong  mind,  the  command  was  obeyed  in  the  darkness 

of  that  very  night,  for  Gideon 

dared  not  brave  the  super- 

>  "^       \MV#«->^i'\7fe-    ^   S    ^^i^i°^  ^^  ^^^  people  by  day. 

f  ^        ^^^^K     '^    f   I    ^^oi'i^ii^g"  broke  to  find   the 

»  '•>  w  ^      I    altar  of  Baal  gone,  and  the 

hill-top  bare.  The  sacrilege 
was  presently  traced  to 
Gideon,  and  he  would  have 
been  put  to  death  by  the 
terrified  votaries  of  the  idol, 
but  for  the  quick  wit  of  his 
father,  who  advised  them 
to  leave  Baal  to  avenge  the 
dishonour  for  himself,  if  he 
were  really  a  god.  To  have 
dared  to  brave  a  god  made 
Gideon  forthwith  a  hero. 
fle  was  Jerubbaal,  —  ^'  He 
who  fights  against  Baal," — and,  as  such,  conspicuously 
the  leader  in  any  future  national  action. 

The  first  great  act  in  his  life  thus  happily  ended,  the 

way  lay  open  for   the    next    part  of   the   Divine  task 

appointed.     Yet  its  greatness  for  the  moment  dismayed 

even  Gideon.     Deliberate  and  thoughtful  before  acting, 

1  "  Grove  "  in  the  Authorized  Yersion. 


PUNIC   IDOL   WITH  A  VOTIVE  TABLET. 


GIDEON.  155 

tliougli  intense  and  energetic  when  the  moment  camo 
for  being  so,  lie  shrank  from  attempting  open  war 
against  the  vast  hordes  of  the  invaders,  with  no  support 
but  that  of  the  few  among  his  people  whom  oppression 
had  still  failed  utterly  to  dispirit.  A  heroic  impulse 
which  he  felt  to  be  Divine  had  impelled  him  to  sound 
the  war-trumpet,  and  it  was  caught  up  and  repeated 
through  Northern  Palestine,  till  not  only  his  own  sept — 
the  clan  of  Abiezer,  but  all  Manasseh,  with  the  fiery 
warriors  of  Zebulun  and  Naphtali,  whose  fathers  had 
fought  so  bravely  under  Barak,  and  even  Asher,  so 
faint-hearted  forty  years  before,  gathered  to  his  stand- 
ard. Yet,  was  it  possible  even  with  their  help,  to  meet 
such  an  army  as  that  which  lay,  far  and  near,  in  their 
tents,  over  the  ruined  land  ?  Fresh  "  signs ''  from  God 
nerved  Gideon  to  the  supreme  effort. 

The  Arab  hosts  lay  encamped  in  the  wide  plain  of 
Esdraelon,  with  the  careless  security  which  often  marks 
Eastern  armies.  For  seven  years  they  had  trodden  the 
land  as  conquerors,  and  trusted  to  their  having  crushed 
it  beyond  the  power  of  resistance.  Meanwhile,  thirty- 
two  thousand  men  had  assembled  at  the  rendezvous  of 
Gideon,  near  "  The  spring  of  trembling,"  at  the  eastern 
end  of  Esdraelon.  But  their  very  numbers  were  like  to 
prove  their  weakness,  for  they  were  undisciplined  and 
unorganized.  Besides,  victory  by  such  a  multitude 
might  tempt  Israel  to  vaunt  of  it  as  due  to  themselves, 
without  fitting  recognition  of  the  hand  of  God.  The 
timid  were,  therefore,  warned  to  return  home,  and  it 
marks  the  depression  of  the  times  that  twenty-two 
thousand  availed  themselves  of  the  permission.  Even 
ten  thousand,  however,  were  too  many.  The  victory 
was  to  be  gained  by  a  sudden  midnight  surprise,  for 
which  only  the  coolest  and  most  deliberate  were  fitted. 


156  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

Taking  his  host,  therefore,  to  "The  spring  of  trem- 
bling ^^ — called  so,  can  we  doubt,  from  the  terror  of  so 
critical  a  moment — he  chose  only  such  as  were  too 
earnest  and  zealous  to  bend  down  to  drink  at  their  ease, 
but  contented  themselves  with  lifting  water  in  their 
hand,  as  if  afraid  to  be  a  moment  off  their  guard.  No 
more  than  three  hundred  men  did  so,  and  all  the  rest 
were  for  the  time  dismissed  to  their  tents. 

A  stratagem  often  used  in  ancient  warfare  was  now 
arranged.  Dividing  the  band  of  heroes  into  three 
companies,  Gideon  gave  each  man  a  trumpet,  an  empty 
earthen  pitcher,  and  a  lamp,  to  be  concealed  in  the 
pitcher  till  the  right  moment.  He  had  been  encour- 
aged by  an  incident  of  the  previous  night.  Gliding  in 
the  darkness  into  the  camp  of  the  Bedouins,  like  our 
own  Alfred  into  that  of  the  Danes,  he  had  heard  a 
Midianite  predicting,  from  a  dream  he  had  had,  the 
destruction  of  the  host,  and  his  own  name  had  been 
mentioned  as  the  leader  they  dreaded. 

Sending  the  three  companies  of  a  hundred  each,  by 
secret  paths  over  the  hills,  out  of  sight  from  the  plain, 
he  directed  them  to  lie  hidden  till  they  heard  the  blast 
of  his  own  trumpet.  They  were  then,  each,  to  blow  a 
wild  blast,  to  break  the  pitchers  and  expose  the  lights, 
and  to  rush  forward  on  the  enemy,  thus  rudely  waked 
from  careless  sleep,  to  the  cry  of  "  The  sword  of 
Jehovah  and  of  Gideon !  " 

The  plan,  able  in  its  conception,  and  carried  out  with 
bright  intelligence  and  resolution  by  Gideon,  succeeded 
perfectly.  The  vast  host,  seized  with  panic,  thought 
only  of  flight,  by  the  fords  of  the  Jordan,  to  the  security 
of  the  desert.  But  Gideon,  reinforced  by  the  ten 
thousand,  gave  them  no  rest.  The  first  great  victory 
on  Esdraelon  was  followed  by  a  second  at  the  Jordan 


GIDEON.  157 

fords^  wliere  levies  from  Ephraiin,  hurriedly  summoned, 
cut  off  tlie  passage  of  tlie  fugitives,  and  slew  two  of 
their  leading  chiefs,  "The  Raven"  and  "The  Wolf" 
• — fit  names  for  Bedouin  robbers.  A  passing  outbreak 
of  jealousy  on  the  part  of  the  great  central  tribe  was 
meanwhile  allayed  by  a  politic  answer  of  Gideon,  which 
showed  his  skill  in  managing  men.  Forthwith,  the 
remnant  of  the  Midianites  were  followed  relentlessly 
over  the  Jordan,  and  at  last  overtaken  in  the  depths 
of  the  desert,  where  a  third  victory  crushed  the  power 
of  these  lawless  hordes  for  many  years. 

Gideon's  share  in  the  spoil  was  the  golden  earrings, 
thrown,  as  a  willing  gift,  on  his  war-cloak,  spread  out 
to  receive  them.  The  noble-minded  man  would  not, 
however,  touch  for  himself  wealth  gained  by  a  victory 
so  evidently  from  God.  Like  the  Hebrews  of  his  age, 
he  had  always  had  a  household  altar,  and  over  this  he 
hung  an  ephod  which  he  decked  with  the  gold,  and 
dedicated  to  Jehovah.  But  though  to  him  it  was  an 
innocent  symbol  of  gratitude  and  zeal,  it  became  an 
object  of  idolatrous  reverence  to  his  gross  and  super- 
stitious countrymen,  and  even  to  his  household. 

Profound  peace  continued  during  the  rest  of  Gideon^s 
life.  The  value  of  union  under  a  central  authority 
had  been  deeply  felt  by  its  results  in  his  case,  and  led 
to  proposals  that  he  and  his  sons  should  be  the  here- 
ditary rulers  of  Israel.  But  he  was  too  humble  and  too 
faithful  to  the  theocratic  constitution  of  Moses  to  listen 
to  any  such  overture,  however  flattering.  Jehovah  alone, 
so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  should  be  their  kingf. 

The  fate  of  Gideon's  family  was  tragical.  He  had 
married  many  wives,  and  had  the  amazing  number 
of  seventy  sons.  Ho  had,  besides,  a  son  born  to  him 
by  a   concubine,  or  wife   of    the   second    degree, — an 


158 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 


ambitious  mar,  eager  to  grasp  tlie  royal  dignity  whicli 
Gideon  liad  reverently  declined.  To  clear  the  way  for 
his  doing  so,  lie  massacred  the  whole  of  his  brothers, 
with  the  exception  of  the  youngest,  who  escaped. 

The  fame  of  Gideon's  great  victory  lingered  long  in 
Israel.  Samuel  speaks  of  it :  Asaph  sings  of  it  in  one 
of  his  psalms  :  Isaiah  can  find  no  higher  image  of 
triumph  than  "  the  day  of  Midian ;  '^  and  the  writer 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  enrols  Gideon  in  the 
number  of  the  heroes  of  the  faith. ^ 

*  1  Sam.  xii.  11 ;  Psalm  Ixxxiii.  9 ;  Isa.  ix. ;  Heb.  xi.  32. 


TeBADING  IHB  WiNH  PbeSS,  AJTD  also  THB  WiJTE  CBtlAB,  WITH  THE  WlNB  UT 

Jabs.    EaxpiiAir.— Tfil/finfion.    (Seep.  162.) 


JEPHTHAH. 


FROM  tlie  narrative  of  Gideon's  victory  on  tlie 
western  side  of  tlie  Jordan,  and  Ms  subsequent 
leadership  of  part,  at  least,  of  the  territory  of  Palestine 
proper,  the  Book  of  Judges  passes — after  a  notice  of 
the  sad  fate  of  his  sons,  and  of  the  abortive  attempt 
of  Abimelech  to  found  a  monarchy  in  his  own  person 
— to  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  supplies  a  few 
glimpses  of  the  anarchy  and  struggles  that  prevailed 
there,  as  elsewhere,  in  this  early  chaotic  period  of 
Jewish  history.  A  chieftain  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar, 
Tola— ^^ The  self-exalter,"  son  of  Perah— "The  mouth" 
of  God,  son  of  Dodo — "The  friend  of  Jehovah" — had 
risen  after  Abimelech's  overthrow,  and  had  judged  part, 
at  least,  of  the  western  tribes,  for  twenty-three  years, 
at  Shamir — "The  thorny" — in  the  hills  of  Ephraim, 
north  of  Jerusalem.  But  his  leadership  is  passed  over 
in  two  verses,  and  seems  to  have  been  uneventful, 
though  that  may  have  been  its  highest  praise. 

Over  the  river,  in  the  wide  and  fertile  region  of 
Gilead,  twenty-two  years  passed  under  the  headship 
of  a  man  of  Manasseh, — Jair  by  name, — of  whom  it 
is  only  mentioned  that  he  had  thirty  sons,  who  each 
had  a  village  and  its  district,  and  assumed  the  recog- 
nised  symbol  of  authority  by  riding  on  asses.      Such 


159 


160 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


a  diVided  rule  could  not  fail  to  be  disastrous.  What- 
ever the  religious  state  of  tlie  people  was  under  Jair_, 
he  was  no  sooner  dead  than  they  relapsed  into  the 
idolatry  of  the  surrounding  nations^  and  worshipped, 
in  different  parts,  as  the  nearest  heathen  population 
inclined  them,  images  of  Baal  and  of  Astarte,  and 
other  idols  of  Syria,  Sidon,  Moab,  Amnion,  or  of  the 
Philistines,  wholly  forsaking  the  worship  of  Jehovah. 
Corrupted  and  weakened  by  this  re- 
ligious decline,  there  was  no  longer 
among  them  that  puritan  enthusiasm 
which  carried  with  it  the  pledge  of 
victory  over  heathenism,  and  they 
naturally  fell  under  the  power  of  the 
races  around,  who  were  more  numer- 
ous or  more  warlike  than  themselves. 
The  Philistines  on  the  west,  and  the 
children  of  Ammon,  whose  land  the 
eastern  tribes  had  occupied,  simul- 
taneously attacked  them,  the  latter 
even  passing  over  the  Jordan  and 
harrying  the  tribes  on  the  west  of  it. 
Eighteen  years  of  this  wide-spread 
^^T|«^^^  \\^  calamity  at  last  awoke  a  better  spirit 
Vlu^^^!^  in  Israel.  It  was  clear  that  the  idols 
they  served  did  not  help  them,  and 
IDOL  they  justly  felt  that  their  sufferings 
were  due  to  their  infidelity  to  their 
own  God.  Humbled  and  penitent,  the  fiery  zeal  which 
had  once  given  their  forefathers  the  victory  over  all 
enemies  was  once  more  rekindled. 

Among  the  signs  and  results  of  the  lawless  and  dis- 
jointed times  was  the  prevalence  of  armed  bands  of 
fugitives  from  oppression,  and  of  men  less  worthy,  which 


SAEEINI  \N-PHEMCIAN- 

TVITU    NEO-PHENICI 
INSCBIPTION 


JEPHTHAH.  161 

haunted  tlie  outlying  districts,  and  lived  by  forays  on 
the  enemy's  territory.  As  in  tlie  time  of  David,  before 
he  was  king,  or  as  in  that  of  Herod,  any  ler.der  could 
get  desperate  men  to  follow  him.  But  of  all  who  had 
betaken  themselves  to  this  guerilla  warfare  in  these 
earlier  days,  none  was  so  famous  as  a  Gileadite,  Jephthah 
— '^  Life  is  from  God."  He  was  an  illegitimate  son, 
and  having  been  thrust  out  of  his  father's  house,  land- 
less and  homeless,  on  account  of  his  birth,  had  betaken 
himself  to  the  borders  of  his  tribe,  and  begun  the  career 
of  a  partizan  leader  against  the  Ammonites. 

In  their  extremity,  the  chiefs  or  '^  elders  "  of  Gilead 
had  come  to  feel  that  open  resistance  was  necessary  to 
save  from  utter  destruction,  and  in  the  search  for  a  lead- 
er their  choice  fell  on  Jephthah.  Sending  messengers 
to  him  to  the  distant  part  where  he  was,  they  proposed 
that  he  should  head  them  in  a  war  against  Ammon. 
His  answer  seems  to  hint  at  wrongs  suifered  from 
them,  as  the  authorities  of  Gilead,  and  sounds  as  if 
they  had  driven  him  into  banishment  for  his  patriotic 
zeal  against  an  enemy  whom,  at  the  time,  they  them- 
selves had  not  the  spirit  to  resist.  "  Did  not  ye  hate 
me,"  asked  he,  '^  and  expel  me  out  of  my  father's 
house  ?  Why  are  ye  come  unto  me  now  in  your  dis- 
tress ?  "  He  had  evidently  been  seeking  the  headship 
of  the  eastern  tribes  before  his  banishment,  and  now 
made  it  a  condition  of  his  return,  that  if  he  led  them 
successfully  against  the  Ammonites,  he  should  formally 
receive  it. 

The  wild  border-hero,  like  all  the  leaders  of  this 
disastrous  age,  shines  by  contrast  with  his  people  at 
large,  in  his  loyalty  to  Jehovah  as  opposed  to  false 
gods.  There  is  no  mention  of  the  sacred  name  in  the 
overture  from  the   chiefs  of  Gilead,   but  Jephthah  in 


162  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

every  sentence  of  Ms  reply  to  tliem  recognises  Grod's 
presence^  and  the  necessity  of  His  lielp,  if  Israel  is 
to  be  freed.  There  is  an  earnest  religiousness  in  his 
whole  bearing. 

The  centre  of  the  eastern  tribes  at  the  time  was 
Mizpeh — "  The  watch-tower  " — the  scene  of  Jacob's 
parting  from  Laban.  Thither  Jephthah  went  to  meet 
the  people_,  gathered  in  solemn  assembly,  and  after 
taking  the  usual  oaths  before  Jehovah,  was  solemnly 
elected  their  head  and  captain,  and  as  such  received 
their  homage.^  In  spite  of  his  illegitimacy  he  had 
reached  the  height  of  his  ambition,  and  was,  at  last, 
made  king  of  Gilead. 

His  first  step,  after  being  thus  chosen,  was  to  send 
messengers  to  the  king  of  Ammon,  detailing  the  claim 
of  Israel  to  the  territories  held  by  it  east  of  the  Jordan. 
His  knowledge  of  the  history  of  his  people,  however 
obtained,  was  minute  and  exact,  embracing  the  whole 
story  of  the  conquest  of  Gilead  under  Moses,  and  of 
his  relations  to  all  the  communities  with  which  he 
came  in  contact  in  the  Wilderness  Wanderings.  Gilead, 
said  Jephthah,  had  belonged  to  the  Ammonites  and 
others,  and  was  rightfully  taken  by  Israel  as  the  prize 
of  war.  It  was  now  a  contest  between  Chemosh,  the 
god  of  Ammon,  and  Jehovah.  Each  nation  had  what  its 
god  had  given  it :  let  each  keep  its  own  in  peace  !  The 
claim  of  Ammon  to  Gilead  was  scouted  as  out  of  date. 
It  had  not  been  advanced  till  now,  after  Israel  had 
held  the  land  for  three  hundred  years. 

On  Ammon's  refusal  to  retire  and  make  peace, 
Jephthah  at  once  prepared  for  the  offensive.  Passing 
from  place  to  place,  he  summoned  the  strength  of  the 
country  to  follow  him.  All  was  wild  excitement.  With 
a  people  till  lately  dispirited   and  even  now  weak,  to 


JEPHTHAH.  163 

resist  a  power  tliat  liad  so  long  been  dominant  was  to 
risk  everything  on  tlie  event  of  a  battle.  Vows  were 
then  habitual  in  the  critical  turns  of  life.  Jacob  and 
Abraham^s  steward  had  made  them/  and  in  later  years 
they  still  continued  a  prominent  feature  of  Israelitish 
religion.^^  Jephthah^  in  his  fierce  enthusiasm,  sought  to 
make  sure  of  the  help  of  God,  beforehand,  by  a  similar 
pledge.  The  long  corruption  of  the  popular  mind  by 
contact  with  local  idolatry  had  introduced  many  heathen 
ideas,  and  had  obscured  the  spirit  of  the  law  of  Moses. 
^^If  thou,  0  Jehovah,"  cried  the  wild  soldier,  "shalt 
without  fail  deliver  the  children  of  Ammon  into  my 
hands,  I  will  offer  up  as  a  burnt-off'ering  to  Thee  what- 
ever Cometh  forth  from  my  doors  to  meet  me,  when  I 
return  in  peace."     A  rash  vow,  to  be  bitterly  repented ! 

Sweeping  like  a  whirlwind  on  the  enemy,  amidst  this 
fervour  of  enthusiasm,  nothing  could  re'sist  Jephthah's 
attack.  Ammon  was  speedily  conquered  through  its 
length  and  breadth,  and  Israel  took  the  place  of  master 
where  it  had  been  slave.  The  proof  that  political  free- 
dom depended  on  religious  zeal  could  not  have  been 
more  signal. 

The  campaign  over,  the  citizen-army  returned  in 
triumph  to  Mizpeh,  to  be  disbanded.  News  of  the 
victory  had  gone  before  them,  and  the  conquerors  were 
greeted  with  universal  rejoicings  as  they  passed  on  their 
way.  Only  in  Jephthah's  mind  was  there  any  lingering 
anxiety.  His  vow  stood  recorded,  and,  as  he  believed, 
must  be  paid, — for  Jehovah,  as  it  seemed,  had  accepted 
it,  and  granted  that  which  it  had  been  offered  to  obtain. 
At  the  least,  it  pledged  him  to  a  human  sacrifice,  for  no 
beast  could  "  come  forth  from  his  doors  to  meet  him." 

^  Gen.  xxviii.  20 ;  xxiv.  12. 

'  Isa.  xix.  21 ;  Psalm  Ixi.  8 ;  cxvi.  14. 


164  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

He  had  spoken  rasUy^  but  tie  had.  spoken,  and,  in  his 
great  wild  soul,  to  have  done  so,  made  fulfilment,  in 
any  case,  a  religious  duty.  If  only  a  slave  met  him,  it 
would  matter  little,  for  slaves  were  counted  as  little 
worth  ;  but  it  might  be  much  more.  The  es^ent  outdid 
the  worst  anticipation. 

In  a  wild  licentious  time  Jephthah  had  lived  a  pure 
life,  and  had  only  one  child,  a  daughter,  now  opening 
into  the  glory  of  womanhood,  and  dear  to  him  beyond 
words,  as  much  for  the  qualities  of  her  head  and  heart 
as  for  her  blood.  Proud  of  her  father's  glory,  she  had 
prepared  a  fond  ovation  for  him  on  his  return,  and 
gathering  the  maidens  round,  decked  in  their  holiday 
braver}?-,  had  sallied  out  with  them  to  greet  him  with 
music  and  the  dance.  Little  did  she  think  what  wailing 
should  come  of  her  rejoicings  !  As  the  tired  warriors 
came  near,  the  procession  advanced  to  meet  them,  with 
his  daughter,  to  Jephthah's  unspeakable  agony,  at  their 
head.  What  was  he  to  do  ?  He  had  sworn  to  Jehovah, 
and  his  simple  heart  never  dreamed  of  possible  escape 
from  his  oath.  And  had  not  the  victory  granted  him 
shown  that  God  held  him  to  his  word,  by  performing 
His  part  of  the  pledge  ?  The  ideas  of  times  like  these 
were  rude  and  imperfect.  Even  two  thousand  years 
later  the  wild  Clotaire  had  no  other  conception  of  the 
Almighty,  than  to  groan  out,  as  life  was  departing, 
"  Wa^  iva,  what  great  God  is  this  that  pulls  doAvn  the 
strength  of  the  mightiest  kings  ?"  ^  and  Jephthah,  in 
these  still  wilder  early  Jewish  times,  may  well  have  had 
as  crude  a  theology.  Other  nations  round  burned  their 
dearest  to  propitiate  their  gods ;  and  had  not  Abraham 
been  told  to  slay  Isaac,  though  he  was  hindered  in  the 
end? 

^  Carlyle's  French  Bevolidion,  p,  21, 


JEPHTHAH.  165 

The  sense  of  old  wrongs  lay  deep  in  tlie  hero's  soul, 
amidst  all  tlie  success  that  had  forced  his  countrymen 
to  do  him  honour.  He  still  thought  of  his  life  as  an 
outlaw,  and  of  all  he  had  suffered,  but  seemed  at  last 
rising  finally  above  it,  when  the  sight  of  his  daughter 
changed  his  cup  of  gladness  into  one  of  the  bitterest 
sorrow.  ^'  Alas,  my  daughter ! ''  cried  he,  as  he  rent 
his  clothes,  "  thou  hast  brought  me  very  low,  little  as 
thou  thoughtest  to  do  so  !  Even  thou,  my  dear  one,  art 
become  one  of  those  who  cause  me  pain,  for  I  have 
opened  my  mouth  to  Jehovah,  and  I  cannot  go  back  ! '' 
Then  he  told  her  all  the  story  of  the  oath,  and  how  she 
had  unwitting'ly  forced  him,  to  whom  she  was  dearer 
than  life,  to  be  her  death. 

But  the  daughter  was  greater  than  the  father.  No 
womanly  firmness  and  grandeur  of  soul  could  surpass 
hers  as  she  heard  the  appalling  words.  An  oath  to 
Jehovah,  she  took  for  granted,  must  be  performed ;  and 
was  not  her  death  a  small  return  for  the  victory  of  her 
people  ?  She  made  no  complaint,  and  asked  only  two 
months  to  prepare  for  her  dismal  end.  No  wonder  that 
the  daughters  of  Israel,  in  after  ages,  yearly  lamented 
her,  and  would  not  let  the  remembrance  die  of  the  father 
presiding  at  the  funeral  pile  of  his  only  child,  because 
he  had  sworn  to  God,  and  fancied  his  oath  could  not  be 
broken ;  or  of  the  daughter  meekly  bearing  an  awful 
death,  on  a  hill-top  in  Gilead,  at  that  father's  hand, 
from  the  same  mistaken  sense  of  duty ! 

The  only  other  notice  of  Jephthah  is  a  painful  illus- 
tration of  his  age.  Ephraim,  proud  and  fierce  as  ever,  re- 
fused to  join  the  force  which  assailed  Ammon,  but  were 
indignant,  after  it  had  been  conquered,  at  not  having 
had  a  share  in  the  honour.  Gideon  had  known  how  to 
appease  their  pride  by  a  soft  answer,  but  Jephthah  had 


166 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


only  a  plain  statement  of  the  facts,  which  irritated  them 
so  much  the  more.  Taunts  were  freely  interchanged, 
and  a  fierce  battle  at  last  took  place  in  Gilead,  and 
ended  in  the  defeat  of  the  men  of  Ephraim.  Unhappily, 
the  victors  did  not  know  how  to  temper  triumph  with 
mercy,  but  hastening  to  the  fords  of  the  Jordan,  refused 
permission  to  any  to  cross  without  the  utterance  of  a 
test  word,  the  pronunciation  of  which  disclosed  the 
side  of  the  speaker.  The  men  of  Gilead  pronounced  a 
certain  word  as  Shibboleth,  which  the  Ephraimites 
could  only  call  Sibboleth,  and  this  proof  of  having 
crossed  in  the  hostile  army  was  deemed  enough  to 
warrant  instant  death.  In  the  blind  and  cruel  heat  of 
the  moment  forty-two  thousand  men  are  said  to  have 
fallen.  Had  Jephthah  been  a  truly  great  man,  he  never 
would  have  sanctioned  such  bloody  reprisals  on  a  brother 
tribe.  It  was,  indeed,  as  short-sighted  as  it  was  cruel, 
for  the  weakening  of  Israel  played  into  the  hands  of 
her  foes. 

The  whole  period  of  Jephthah's  sway  was  only  six 
years.  Perhaps  he  pined  away  after  the  sad  fate  of  his 
daughter,  for  it  must  have  embittered  all  his  glory,  and 
have  left  him  desolate  and  broken-hearted. 


TbEadiitg  Enemies  Undib  Foot. 


SAMSON   AND    DELILAH. 


WHILE  the  northern  parts  of  Palestine  were  sub- 
jected to  repeated  conquest  by  Canaanite 
princes^  or  by  the  hordes  of  the  desert^  during  the  time 
of  the  Judges,  the  southern  tribes  were  exposed  to  the 
attacks  of  a  rising  power,  of  a  western  race — the  Philis- 
tines— ^long  settled  in  the  land,  but  only  now  beginning 
to  be  dangerous. 

This  warlike  people  had  wandered  to  Palestine,  from 
the  island  of  Crete,^  and  had  gained  a  firm  footing  on 
the  rich  coast-plain  of  the  Shefelah,  north  and  south  of 
Askelon,  in  the  days  of  Abraham.  In  the  later  times  of 
the  Judges,  however,  they  had  extended  their  rule  over 
the  greater  part  of  the  country,  and  maintained  their 
supremacy  till  the  reign  of  David.  Allying  themselves 
with  the  dreaded  remnant  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants 
still  surviving  at  Gaza,  Hebron,  and  elsewhere,  in  their 
territory,  they  completely  broke  the  strength  of  Israel ; 
for  their  trade  was  war,  and  an  agricultural  people  was 
ill-fitted  to  resist  them.  Even  the  brave  tribe  of  Judah, 
in  its  mountain  home,  which  seemed  expressly  suited 
for  easy  defence,  was  forced  to  yield  to  them,  and  the 
conquest  was  made  the  more  secure  by  a  general  dis- 

^  A  great  number  of  Philistines  were  settled  in  the  Delta  of 
Egypt. 


167 


168  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

arming  of  the  Hebrews^  wlio  were  forced  to  go  down 
from  tlieir  liills  to  the  Philistine  towns  on  the  sea-plain, 
for  the  simplest  smith's  work  required  in  their  field 
labour.^ 

This  utter  prostration  lasted  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years,  yet  there  were  never  wanting  brave  men  to  main- 
tain the  unequal  struggle  for  the  ancient  liberty  of  their 
race.  The  constant  wars  of  the  times  of  Eli,  Samuel, 
Saul,  and  David — '^  The  breaker  of  the  horn  of  the 
Philistines''^ — preserve  glimpses  of  an  unconquerable 
determination  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  the  "  uncircum- 
cised."  Even  when  the  people,  almost  in  despair  from 
their  harsh  oppression,  hid  in  the  caves  and  fissures  of 
the  rocks,  so  common  in  Palestine,  or  fled  beyond  the 
Jordan,  brave  spirits,  like  Saul  and  Jonathan,  stood, 
sword  in  hand,^  in  the  midst  of  the  defenceless  people, 
and  did  not  shun  the  fight.  The  time  of  the  Philistine 
domination  was  the  true  heroic  age  of  Israel :  its  pain- 
ful discipline  developed  the  national  strength  and  power 
of  endurance,  and  the  amazing  efforts  of  the  people  at 
large,  and  of  individual  warriors,  at  last,  with  God's 
help,  restored  the  long  lost  independence.  Later  gen- 
erations looked  back  with  grateful  admiration  to  the 
great  men  who  had  fought  in  these  terrible  days,  not 
only  with  the  common  Philistine,  but  with  the  gigantic 
descendants  of  the  old  races ;  with  Goliath,  with  Isbi, 
bearing  his  ponderous  lance,  and  Sippai,  and  the  huge 
man  "  of  the  sons  of  the  giant,"  with  twenty-four  fingers 
and  toes.  Stirring  tales  of  their  deeds  were  recounted 
by  father  and  son.  It  was  told  how  David  overcame 
Goliath  ;  how  Adino  the  Eznite,  surnamed  Hachmom — 
"■  The  wise  " — and  Josheb  Bassebet — ^'  He  who  sits  in 

»  1  Sam.  xiii.  19-21.  2  Ecclus.  xlvii.  7. 

3  1  Sam.  xiii.  22. 


SAMSON  AND  DELILAH.  169 

the  council  *' — slew  eight  hundred  Philistines  at  once  ; 
how  Abishai  once  slew  three  hundred ;  and  how  three 
of  the  thirty  famous  chiefs  of  David  broke  through  the 
enemy  and  brought  their  lord  a  draught  of  the  water 
of  the  well  of  his  native  mountain  village,  Bethlehem.^ 
Of  these,  the  long  illustrious  roll-call  was  headed  by 
Samson — "  the  destroyer/'  son  of  Manoah. 

In  the  earlier  days  of  Samuel,  when  the  Ark  of  God 
had  been  taken,  under  Eli's  priesthood,  the  sufferings  of 
Israel  at  last  brought  a  deliverer.  A  worthy  man,  by 
name  Manoah — '^  Jehovah  is  my  rewarder  " — lived  with 
his  wife  in  Zorah — "the  hornet's  town" — a  place  on 
one  of  the  spurs  of  the  hills  of  Jud^a,  overlooking  the 
Philistine  plain.  Like  Sara  and  Hannah,  his  wife  had 
been  long  married  without  having  a  child,  but  a  Divine 
intimation  given  to  her,  as  to  them,  predicted  the  birth 
of  a  son,  who  should  begin  to  deliver  Israel  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Philistines.  Like  Samuel,  he  was  to  be 
vowed  to  Jehovah  from  his  birth,  as  a  Nazarite,  or 
'^  consecrated  one,"  separated  to  God  from  the  common 
mass  of  men  by  external  signs  seen  of  all.  As  such,  he 
was  to  taste  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink,  and  thus 
to  offer  a  protest  against  the  intemperance  which  had 
grown  rank  in  Israel,  and  was  specially  hurtful  in  such 
a  climate.  He  was,  further,  to  observe  the  Levitical 
laws  of  food  with  the  utmost  strictness,  and  thus  teach 
his  countrymen  the  duty,  under  their  laws,  of  absolute 
separation  from  the  heathenism  around,  which  had  cor- 
rupted and  ruined  them.  Still  more,  his  hair  was  to 
grow  untouched,  save  by  himself,  and  was  never  to  be 
cut,  as  a  sign  of  special  endowment  for  his  great  task, 
in  which  he  was  thus  proclaimed  to  be  in  reality  the  in- 
strument of  God.  He  is  the  earliest  Nazarite  of  whom 
»  2  Sam.  xxiii.  16. 


170  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

we  read,  and  no  symbol  could  be  more  instructive,  at  a 
time  when  all  tlie  impulses  of  religion  and  patriotism 
needed  to  be  awakened  in  a  people  so  deeply  sunken  in 
moral  and  religious  declension. 

Marked  out  as  a  constant  living  lesson  of  the  truths 
most  needed  to  be  remembered  by  his  people,  that 
strength  and  deliverance  could  come  only  from  Jehovah, 
and  were  granted  by  Him  to  those  alone  who  separated 
themselves  from  idolatry,  paid  due  regard  to  His  law,  and 
gave  themselves  to  His  service,  Samson  grew  up  within 
sight  of  the  towns  and  villages  of  the  oppressors  of  his 
race.  The  one  work  of  his  life,  for  which  his  Nazarite 
consecration  to  God  was  the  preparation,  was  to  wage 
war  on  the  Philistine.  As  Hannibal  was  vowed  in  his 
infancy,  at  the  altar,  as  the  enemy  of  Rome,  Samson 
grew  up  from  childhood  as  the  fore -ordained  enemy  of 
Gaza  and  Ekron,  and  their  race.  To  keep  this  in  mind 
explains  much  in  his  history.  The  service  of  God  is 
very  different  at  different  times.  In  Samson's  day,  it 
was  felt  to  lie  pre-eminently  in  self-devotion  to  the  great 
work  of  saving  and  restoring  the  national  existence  of 
Israel,  as  the  chosen  people, — as,  in  the  time  of  our  own 
Alfred,  or  in  that  of  Gustavus  Vasa,  it  might  naturally 
have  been  conceived  as  lying  in  the  expulsion  of  the 
Danes  from  England  and  Sweden  respectively.  That  a 
low  morality  obtained  as  yet,  in  many  points,  is  no 
contradiction  to  the  enthusiastic  religious  zeal  which 
centred  in  the  idea  of  a  war  of  national  deliverance. 
It  was  the  rescue  of  the  '^^ people  of  God''  from  their 
enemies ;  and  the  vindication  of  the  rights  of  Jehovah 
over  the  land,  as  its  King. 

The  tribe  of  Dan,  to  which  Samson  belonged,  had 
always  been  comparatively  small,  and  had  been  unable 
to  wrest  the  district,  assigned  to  it  by  Joshua  from  the 


SAMSON   AND   DELILAH.  171 

hands  of  the  Pliilistines_,  who  had  penned  it  up  among 
the  hills,  and  kept  it  from  the  rich  sea-coast  plain  at 
their  foot.  So  straitened,  indeed,  was  their  position, 
that  they  had  in  the  end  to  send  off  a  colony  to  conquer 
new  territory  in  the  north,  "  for  an  inheritance  to  dwell 
in."  ^  Meanwhile,  they  had  '^  a  camp  "  on  the  hills 
overhanging  the  Philistine  plain,  and  there  the  young 
Samson  first  showed  indications  of  his  future  prowess. 
Sacredly  devoted  to  Jehovah,  and  true  to  his  vows, 
Israel  began  to  hear  how  ^Hhe  spirit  of  Jehovah 
moved  "  the  long-haired  lad  '^  at  times,"  as  the  special 
and  visibly  consecrated  instrument  of  Divine  influence. 

The  deeds  of  the  young  Nazarite  and  his  whole  course 
through  life  mark  the  darkness  of  the  times.  He  had 
to  act  by  himself  throughout,  for  there  was  no  army  to 
lead,  and  the  one  sphere  of  his  daring  was  the  narrow 
territory  of  his  oppressed  tribe.  His  influence  in  re- 
viving the  national  spirit  was  through  the  report  of 
his  deeds,  which  passed  from  lip  to  lip  over  the  land. 
He  did  not  act  as  a  "  judge,"  like  Gideon  or  Jephthah, 
over  a  larger  or  smaller  extent  of  the  country,  but  was 
rather  the  fearless  hero  who,  alone,  in  the  depths  of  its 
misery,  never  despaired  of  his  nation. 

The  picture  we  have  of  him  shows  us  a  great,  kindly 
Hercules,  fierce  and  terrible  in  battle,  but  weak  and 
unwise  in  the  lap  of  woman  :  modest  and  silent  as  to 
his  deeds,  full  of  a  homely  humour  and  rioting  in  the 
glory  of  his  strength  and  animal  spirits.  Love  and 
marriage,  which  blend,  more  or  less,  the  most  hostile 
populations,  were  not  unknown  between  the  Hebrews 
and  the  uncircumcised,  and  Samson,  always  wayward 
in  his  relations  to  the  other  sex,  was  caught,  like  others 
of  his  countrymen,  by  the  charms  of  a  Philistine  girl, 
^  Judges  sviii.  1. 


172         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

at  Tiinnatli^  on  the  seaward  slope  of  the  hills,  amidst 
famous  vineyards — a  part  of  the  hind  of  Dan^  but  still 
held  by  the  Philistines.  Manoah  must  get  her  for  him  : 
nothing  would  please  him  else^  though  she  was  of  the 
hated  race  ;  and  her  father^  helpless  in  his  resistance, 
had  to  yield.  Going  to  see  her  when  betrothed,  a 
young  lion  attacked  Samson,  but^  like  David  in  a 
similar  case,'  he  slew  it,  ^^  rending  it  as  he  would  have 
rent  a  kid,  though  he  had  nothing  in  his  hand.^^  ^  In 
the  wreck  of  the  carcase  left  by  the  vultures  and  ants, 
and  dried  in  the  hot  sun  to  a  mere  shell  of  skin  and  bone,^ 
a  swarm  of  bees  ere  long  took  up  their  abode,  and  had 
already  begun  to  store  their  comb,  when  Samson  once 
more  went  down  to  Timnath  to  claim  his  bride.  At  the 
marriage  feast,  which  lasted  seven  days,  thirty  young 
men  of  the  Philistines  formed  the  company  on  the  side 
of  the  young  wife,  and  amongst  the  riddles  with  which 
it  was  the  custom  to  fill  up  moments  in  the  rejoicings, 
was  one  to  which  this  strange  incident  formed  the  key. 
The  bridegroom  offered  to  give  each  of  the  thirty  a 
tunic  of  linen,  and  a  costly  outer  robe,*  if  they  could 
answer  it ;  they  promising  to  pay  him  the  same  if  they 
could  not.  Failing  to  guess  it,  they  managed,  by 
threats  and  insinuations,  to  gain  over  the  young  wife 
to  ^^  befool  ^^  her  husband  into  telling  it  to  her  in  con- 
fidence, and  then  betraying  his  trust.  "  They  would 
burn  her  and  her  father's  family  alive,'^  if  she  did  not : 
"  she  had  invited  them  to  the  feast  only  to  rob  them." 
Her  tears  and  arts  prevailed ;  but  Samson  saw  the 
treachery,  and  though  he  paid  the  stake,  he  did  it  by 
going  oft'  to  the  distant  town  of  Askelon,  and  wreaking 

1  1  Sam.  xvii.  34,  35.  2  judges  xiv.  6. 

s  See  Tristram's  Natural  History  of  the  Bible,  324. 
*  Judges  xiv.  12. 


SAMSON  AND   DE-LILAH.  173 

tis  indignation  on  thirty  Philistines,  from  whose  bodies 
he  took  the  garments  needed. 

He  had  now  finally  begun  the  fierce  war  with  the 
oppressors_,  which  ended  only  with  his  death.  His  wife, 
whom  he  had  left,  in  anger  at  her  unfaithfulness,  was 
given  by  her  father  to  another,  and  was  fefused  to  Sam- 
son on  his  re-claiming  her.  Fierce  reprisals  on  his  side 
followed.  The  shocks  in  the  harvest-fields  of  the  Philis- 
tines of  Timnath,  their  standing  corn,  and  vine  and 
olive  yards  were  burned  by  him.  On  this,  his  wife  and 
her  father  were  burned  alive  by  the  infuriated  villagers, 
but  Samson  retaliated  by  a  fierce  attack,  in  which 
many  of  them  were  slain.  Taken  prisoner  soon  after, 
with  his  own  consent,  by  the  men  of  Judah,  now  basely 
betraying  their  hero  to  the  common  foe,  he  snapped 
his  bonds  with  ease,  and  turning  against  his  enemies, 
miraculously  slew  a  great  multitude,  and  then  returned 
in  safety  to  his  own  hills.^ 

As  woman  had  led  Samson  into  the  first  of  the 
episodes  related  of  his  history,  she  was  the  occasion 
of  the  two  others  which  follow.  ~  Samson^ s  morality, 
like  that  of  Judah,  and  of  his  age,  was  defective  enough 
where  his  passions  moved  him.  Trapped  at  Gaza, 
when  in  a  loose  woman's  house,  he  saved  himself  by 
wrenching  up  the  town  gate  and  carrying  it  off.  The 
danger  might  have  taught  him  wisdom  and  a  purer 
life,  but  ere  long  another  woman,  doubtless  a  Philistine, 
once  more  snared  him,  as  it  proved,  to  his  ruin. 

In  the  valley  of  Sorek,  just  below  his  own  village  of 

^  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  name  of  the  hill  near  which  this 
deliverance  of  S..mson  was  effected  was  Lehi — that  is,  "  the  jaw- 
bone," perhaps  from  its  shape.  The  water  with  which  he  was 
refreshed  is  said,  in  the  Hebrew,  to  have  flowed  from  Lehi; 
doubtless  the  hill  Lehi. 


174         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEBS. 

Zorali,  lived  a  courtesan,  by  name  Delilali_,  wliom  tlie 
Pliilistine  cliiefs,  in  accordance  with  tlie  frequent 
practice  of  these  ages_,  resolved  to  make  their  instru- 
ment. Offering  her  a  great  reward  if  she  could  allure 
Samson_,  and  obtain  from  him  the  secret  of  his  strength_, 
she  plied  her  wiles  only  too  successfully,  and  ere  long 
had  the  mighty  man  helplessly  in  her  toils.  Simple  as 
a  child  in  the  hands  of  an  artful  woman,  his  perilous 
secret  was  soon  divulged,  and  then  came  the  end. 
Milton's  grand  poem  has  told  the  story  with  matchless 
pathos  and  force.  The  blinded  hero,  forced  to  make 
sport  for  his  enemies;  his  consciousness  that  his  sin 
had  been  the  cause  of  his  downfall;  his  penitence, 
and  fervent  cries  to  Jehovah  for  pardon  and  restored 
favour;  his  returning  strength  as  his  hair  grew  again 
— the  sign  of  his  consecration  to  God;  and  then  the 
last  fierce  revenge,  in  which  "  he  slew  more  at  his  death 
than  in  his  life  '^ — come  before  us  in  quick  succession, 
and  waken,  by  turns,  our  sympathy  and  admiration. 

To  realize  such  a  character  as  that  of  Samson  we 
must  restore,  in  imagination,  the  circumstances  of  his 
times.  How  great  a  heart  must  that  have  been  which 
dared  to  stand  out  alone  against  a  tyranny  that  crushed 
and  cowed  even  the  strong  and  warlike  tribe  of  Judah 
till  they  consented  to  hunt  him  down  at  the  bidding 
of  their  masters,  and  deliver  him — the  one  patriot  of 
the  land  —  into  the  hands  of  the  common  enemy. 
'^  Knowest  thou  not,^'  said  the  craven  hearts,  ^^  that 
the  Philistines  are  rulers  over  us  ?  What  is  this  that 
thou  hast  done  unto  us  ?  "  When  their  hills  were  in- 
vaded by  the  Philistine  troops  they  bribed  them  to  retire 
by  undertaking  to  deliver  up  to  his  enemies  the  one 
true  man  of  their  race  !  They  would  rather  live  quietly 
as  slaves  than  strike  for  liberty.     To  be  simply  brave 


SAMSON   AND   DELILAH.  175 

and  great  in  an  ago  of  cowardice  and  degradation  is 
heroic  in  tlie  noblest  sense.  Gustavus  Vasa  in  the  wilds 
of  Dalecarlia,  Alfred  in  the  marshes  of  Somersetshire, 
or  Here  ward  the  Saxon  in  the  fens  of  Lincoln,  are 
imperfect  parallels,  for  they  had  followers  ready  to 
brave  death  with  them,  but  Samson  was  alone — the 
solitary  constant  soul  in  a  dispirited  nation. 

Nor  is  his  rude  but  unchanging  fidelity  to  Jehovah, 
as  his  God,  less  touching.  In  spite  of  his  being  ap- 
parently deserted  by  Him,  and  though  the  enemy 
boasted  that  Dagon  had  proved  himself  the  greater 
god  by  his  victory  over  Jehovah's  champion,  Samson 
held  fast  to  his  faith.  His  countrymen  had  turned  to 
idols,  but  he,  in  his  rough  way,  clung  to  the  God  of  his 
fathers. 

There  is  a  wild  sublimity,  moreover,  in  his  self- 
destruction,  that  arrests  regard.  Life,  now  that  he  was 
blind,  and  no  longer  able  to  go  out  against  the  enemy 
of  his  God,  was  not  worth  having.  Yet  he  would  sell 
it  dearly,  and  make  the  mourning  for  him  in  Philistia 
long  and  deep.  No  wonder  that  the  recollections  of 
such  a  soul  were  cherished  through  age  after  age,  for 
it  is  by  such  examples  that  a  nation  keeps  alive  its 
noblest  qualities. 


ETJTH. 

IT  is  a  singular  illustration  of  tlie  greatness  of  David 
in  tlie  history  of  Israel^  tliat  tlie  only  narratives  in 
wliicli  woman  is  prominently  introduced  are  found,  on 
examination,  to  be  those  of  Ms  ancestors.  Doubtless 
tlie  supreme  ulterior  end,  in  tbe  providence  of  God^ 
was  to  reflect  light  on  the  genealogy  of  our  Lord,  who 
was  descended  from  David ;  but  to  the  holy  men  of  old, 
who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Grhost, 
unconscious  "  what,  or  what  manner  of  time,  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  which  was  in  them  signified,'^  ^  the  glory  of 
their  most  illustrious  king  must  have  been  the  pro- 
minent thought.  The  story  of  Tamar,  the  mother  of 
Perez,  traces  his  pedigree  to  Judah;  Rahab,  as  we  find 
in  the  first  chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  was  the  ancestress 
of  Boaz,  and  through  him  of  the  great  king,  who,  him- 
self, sprang  from  Ruth,  in  the  third  generation.^  The 
glory  of  Israel  culminated  in  the  son  of  Jesse,  and  all 
that  illustrated  his  ancestry  was  of  paramount  interest 
to  the  nation. 

The  incidents  narrated  in  the  charming  story  of  Ruth 
carry  us  back  to  the  closing  years  of  the  long  disastrous 
period  of  the  Judges.  They  belong  to  the  third  genera- 
tion before  David,  and  thus  may  be  safely  reckoned  as 

1  Peter  i.  11.  2  Matt.  i.  5,  6. 

176 


EUTH.  177 

happening  about  a  hundred  years  "before  his  day. 
While  indirectly  shedding  light  on  tlio  times^  historical 
details  are  kept  in  the  background  thi  oughout,  and  the 
whole  story  is  framed  as  a  picture  of  t\  e  self-forg-etting 
love  of  Ruth  to  the  family  of  her  dead  husband.  Her 
undying  faithfulness  and  its  rich  reward  are  the  lesson 
that  strikes  the  reader.  Giving  up  every  prospect  of 
exclianging  her  lonely  widowed  state  for  a  joyful  re- 
marriage^ Ruth  leaves  her  home,  her  parents,  and  even 
her  gods,  for  love  to  her  tried  and  desolate  mother- 
in-law.  She  has  no  thought  of  self.  Her  only  desire 
is  to  give  herself  up  to  her  stricken  friend,  as  an  in- 
separable companion  and  consoler.  To  care  for  her, 
and  to  render  her  all  filial  duty,  is  supreme  delight. 
The  blessing  that  rests  on  such  fidelity  must  have  been 
a  still  more  vivid  lesson  to  the  ancient  Jew  than  it  is 
to  us.  The  good  fortune  which  Ruth  puts  from  her, 
in  her  aff'ection  for  Naomi,  comes  to  meet  her,  in  the 
richest  fulness,  in  Israel,  with  whom  she  had  cast  in 
her  lot.  The  favour  of  God,  and  the  laws  of  His 
people  protecting  the  widow,  bring  her  greater  happi- 
ness than  she  had  voluntarily  resigned.  She  is  hon- 
oured to  make  up  to  her  mother-in-law  the  loss  of  her 
two  sons,  and  her  praises  from  the  lips  of  her  neighbours 
make  her  name  famous  in  Israel  for  ever. 

A  famine  had  struck  the  district  round  Bethlehem, 
perhaps  as  the  result  of  the  troublous  times,  for  men 
were  never  sure  in  those  days  of  reaping  what  they 
had  sown.^  Hostile  inroads  were  continually  sweeping 
away  or  trampling  under  foot  the  husbandman's  toil. 
One  of  the  villagers,  by  name  Elimelech — '^  God  is  his 
king'' — under  these  circmnstances  felt  it  better  to 
emigrate  for  a  time  to  the  territory  of  Moab,  which 
1  Judges  vi.  3. 

N 


178  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

lay  east  of  them^  on  tlie  other  side  of  tlie  Dead  Sea, 
and  had  escaped  the  calamities  that  had  desolated 
Israel.  Taking  with  him  his  wife  Naomi  —  either 
''  Pleasantness  ^^  or  "  Jehovah  is  good  ^' — and  his  two 
sons,  Mahlon,— "The  weakling/'— and  Chilion,— "He 
who  pined  away  '^ — he  therefore  left  Bethlehem,  and 
made  Moab  his  home. 

But  our  best-laid  plans  often  miscarry,  and  what  we 
do  for  our  good  many  times  turns  out  a  mistake. 
Away  from  his  old  neighbours  and  friendly  landscape, 
Elimelech  in  a  few  years  drooped  and  died;  and  to 
make  matters  still  more  sad  for  Naomi,  their  two  sons 
did  not  long  survive  him.  They  had,  however,  taken 
more  kindly  to  their  new  country  ihan  their  father  could, 
and  had  married  wives  of  its  daughters  :  Orpah — "  The 
freshness  of  youth'' — and  Ruth — "  The  friend."  Mar- 
riage of  Israelites  with  the  people  of  Moab  was  not  for- 
bidden, but  only  with  the  Canaanites,^  though  it  required 
ten  generations,  by  the  strict  law,  for  the  incorporation 
of  a  Moabite  into  the  chosen  people.^  It  was  not  till 
Ezra's  day  that  marriage  with  them  was  made  unlawful.^ 

The  young  lives  of  the  bridegrooms  were  doomed, 
however,  to  be  speedily  blighted.  "  Like  blossomed 
trees,  upturned  by  vernal  storms,"  they  were  scarcely 
wedded  when  they  faded  and  died,  leaving*  their  mother 
not  only  a  widow,  but  childless.  Moab  had  no  longer 
any  attractions.  It  was  associated,  rather,  with  bitter 
memories.  The  evil  times  at  Bethlehem  were  past; 
she  would  return  to  it,  for  she  would  there  find  at  least 
neighbours  she  had  known  of  old,  and  her  loneliness 
would  be  tempered  by  their  society. 

Ten  years  had  passed  since  she  had  left,  and  now 
she  was  returning  sad  and  broken.  Hei  sons'  widows 
*  Deut.  vii.  3.  ^  Deut.  xxiii.  4.  ^  Ezra  ix.  1. 


EUTH.  179 

would  not,  however,  let  her  go  forth  alone,  but  went 
with  her  on  her  way  back  to  Judah.  They  had  been 
kind  wives  and  dutiful  daughters,  and  now  their  friendli- 
ness clung  to  Naomi  more  closely  than  ever.  They 
escorted  her  till  she  thought  it  well  for  them  to 
return,  and  fondly  proposed  that  they  should  do  so. 
'^  Gro,'^  said  she,  '^  return  each  to  her  mother's  house  : 
Jehovah  deal  kindly  with  you,  as  ye  have  dealt  with 
the  dead,  and  with  me."  Born  amidst  idolatry  of  the 
darkest  type,  they  had  grown  up  pure  and  affectionate, 
— a  proof  that  even  in  the  most  unlikely  spots  the  grace 
of  Grod,  in  all  ages,  has  its  triumphs,  and  that  even  on 
the  soil  of  heathenism  there  springs,  at  least  here  and 
there,  a  sweet  fragrance  of  better  things.  "  Jehovah 
grant  you,"  continued  Naomi,  ^'  that  ye  may  find  rest, 
each  of  you,  in  the  house  of  another  husband."  So 
saying,  she  kissed  them,  and  the  two  lifted  up  their 
voice,  and  wept. 

But  she  had  been  worthy  of  their  love,  and  they 
could  not  bear  to  leave  her.  ^^  We  cannot  bid  you  fare- 
well,^ ^  sobbed  they, — *^^we  will  go  back  with  you  to  your 
people.''  But  Naomi,  kind  and  loving  as  she  was,  was 
no  less  practical.  Marriage  was  the  one  great  hope  of 
the  sex  in  those  days,  alike  for  present  support,  and 
from  the  craving  for  offspring  which  marked  the 
Hebrew  and  his  related  races,  for  to  be  the  mother  of  a 
son  is  still  the  highest  honour  of  any  Eastern  woman. 
She  had  no  sons  to  give  them  for  husbands ;  she  was  old, 
and  a  widow,  and  even  if  she  were  to  have  other  sons — 
which  was  not  to  be  thought  of — would  the  young 
widows  wait  till  infants  grew  up  to  men  fit  for  hus- 
bands ?  They  had  better  go  back,  for  otherwise  they 
must  remain  widows. 

A  second  outburst  of  grief  followed  this  loving  per- 


180  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

suasion.  It  liad  touclied  the  heart  of  Orpah.  She  felt 
the  common- sense  of  it,  and  once  more  kissing  Naomi, 
turned  back  to  Moab.  But  Ruth  was  of  a  more  disin- 
terested nature.  What  had  been  said  might  be  both 
wise  and  true,  but  her  heart  clave  to  her  mother-in- 
law,  and  permitted  no  thought  of  self.  It  was  vain  to 
urg'e  her  to  follow  Orpah.  She  had  gone  back  to  her 
people  and  to  her  gods,  but  Euth  would  not  hear  of 
doing  so.  '^Intreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,''  said  she, 
"  or  to  return  from  following  after  thee  :  for  whither 
thou  goest  I  will  go,  and  where  thou  lodgest  I  will 
lodge  :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my 
God :  where  thou  diest  will  I  die,  and  there  will  I  be 
buried :  Jehovah  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  aught 
but  death  part  thee  and  me."  Self -forgetful  love  like 
this  was  invincible;  so  they  went  on  to  Bethlehem 
together.  It  was  a  sad  retuiTi,  for  Naomi  was  so 
changed  that  the  villagers,  her  cild  neighbours,  gather- 
ing round  her  in  their  quiet  mountain  home,  hardly 
knew  her  again,  and  asked  each  other  if  this  were 
really  she.  "  No,''  said  she,  ^'  it  is  not  I — not  Naomi, 
^  The  pleasant,'  but  Marah — '  Bitterness,'  for  the 
Almighty  hath  dealt  very  bitterly  with  me.  I  went  out 
full,  and  Jehovah  has  brought  me  home  again  empty." 
And  so  she  begged  she  might  be  called  Naomi  no  more. 
The  simple  people,  touched  by  her  misery,  gave  her  a 
kindly  Avelcome  among  them. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  the  barley  harvest — in  the 
month  of  April;  and  Naomi  and  Ruth  were  poor. 
Gleaning  was  then  a  sacred  right  of  the  lowly,  and 
Ruth  was  eager  to  help  to  get  food  for  herself  and 
Naomi,  by  gathering  after  the  reapers,  in  any  field 
where  the  old  kindly  custom  was  yet  held  sacred. 
Descending  the  deep  terraced  side  of  the  limestone  hill 


EUTH. 


181 


whicli  Bethlehem  crowns^  to  the  pleasant  valley  through 

which   a  brook   still  murmurs  amidst  fields  of  barley, 

Ruth  happened  to  light  on  a  part 

belonging  to  a  rich  villager — Boaz, 

and  was  gleaning  there  when  he 

came  down  from  Bethlehem  to  see 

how  his  reapers  were  doing  their 

work.     He  was  a  middle-aged,  if 

not  an  elderly  man/  and  forthwith 

noticed,  and  was  agreeably  struck 

by    the    comely    maiden    so   busy 

among  the  sheaves.     Told  whom 

she  was,  he  forthwith  approached 

and  put   his  field  at  her  service, 

with  the  hope  that  she  would  not 

go     elsewhere,     but      follow     his 

maidens   who   were    binding    the 

sheaves.    He  had  given  the  young 

men,    the     reapers,     charge,     he 

added,     respecting    her,     not    to 

molest  her  or  drive  her  away,  and 

she  was  free,  when  she  felt  thirsty, 

as  she  would  be  in  the  hot  sun,  to 

go  to  the  water  jars  and  refresh 

herself.     It  would  save  her  time. 

Ruth  was  overwhelmed,  and 
knelt  at  his  feet,  with  expres- 
sions of  wonder  at  favour  so 
marked,  shown  to  one,  like  her- 
self, a  stranger.  But  Boaz  told 
her  how  he  had  heard  of  her  kind- 
ness to  Naomi,  and  of  her  having 
left  her  country  and  friends  .to  be  with  her.  "  The 
»  Char..  ;i;.  10. 


182  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

Lord  recompense  tliy  deed/^  said  he,  '^  and  a  full 
reward  be  given  tliee  of  Jeliovali^  the  Grod  of  Israel, 
under  whose  wings  thou  art  come  to  trust/^  A  modest 
answer  of  E-uth's  touched  the  rich  man  still  more,  and 
drew  forth  a  still  further  tenderness.  She  must  join 
his  reapers  at  meal-time,  ^^and  eat  their  bread,  and 
dip  her  morsel  in  the  vinegar/^  The  labourers,  catch- 
ing the  spirit  of  their  master,  took  care  that  she  should 
want  for  nothing.  ^'^Let  her  glean,"  said  Boaz  to  his 
men,  when  she  had  gone  back  to  her  toil — ^^  let  her 
glean  even  among  the  sheaves,  and  let  fall  some  hand- 
fuls  to  help  her."  He  was  smitten  by  the  fair  face  and 
fairer  fame  of  the  young  Moabitess,  though,  perhaps,  he 
hardly  knew  it. 

When  Ruth  toiled  up  the  hill  in  the  evening,  to 
Naomi,  with  her  heavy  load,  and  had  told  her  the 
whole  story  of  the  day,  the  elder  woman  saw  the  whole 
thing  at  a  glance,  and  forthwith  remembered  that  Boaz 
was  her  kinsman,  and  as  such,  by  the  law,  owed  Ruth 
the  duty  of  buying  back  the  inheritance  of  her  dead 
husband,  Chilion,  and,  better  still,  of  himself  marrying 
her,  and  thus  giving  her  a  home.  Ruth  must  keep  to 
his  field,  and  stay  close  to  his  maidens  at  their  sheaf- 
binding,  till  not  only  the  barley  but  the  wheat  harvest 
was  over. 

The  fields  clear  and  the  threshing  begun  in  the  open 
air,  as  was  wont,  Naomi,  who  had  doubtless  been  think- 
ing much  on  the  matter,  told  Ruth  her  mind.  She 
should  take  steps  to  get  Boaz  to  acknowledge  his 
obligation  to  marry  her.  ^^Why,"  added  the  kindly 
matron,  "should  I  not  seek  a  home  for  ihee,  that  it  may 
be  well  with  thee  ?  "  Like  all  women  who  have  them- 
selves been  happily  married,  Naomi  was  at  heart  a 
match-maker. 


RUTH. 


183 


The  plan  advised  was  in  strict  accordance  with 
"Eastern  ways,  though  it  seems  strange  to  us  ;  and  it 
Bucceeded  perfectly.  To  Ruth's  frank  statement  that,  as 
her  near  kinsman,  Boaz  should  marry  her,  in  the  room 
of  her  dead  husband,  his  relative,  he  at  once  consented, 
if,  as  he  added,  a  nearer  kinsman,  who  lived  in  the 
village,  did  not  claim  her.  He  even  praised  her  that 
she  had  been  so  thoughtful  of  his  duty  and  her  own 


THBB3HIIJ-&  MA.CanfS  OF  MODBBir  EOTPT. 


to  Chilion,  in  looking  to  him,  instead  of  seeking  some 
young  and  attractive  person  for  husband. 

Next  morning  the  kinsman  was  summoned  by  Boaz 
to  meet  him  before  ten  of  the  village  elders.  He  was 
willing  to  redeem  Chilion' s  inheritance,  but  not  to  marry 
Euth.  The  way  was,  therefore,  clear,  and  with  due 
legal  form  Boaz  undertook  the  whole  obligations.  He 
would  buy  the  rights  of  Naomi,  her  husband  and  her 
sons,  to  their  inheritance,  and,  with  them,  Ruth  herself 


184 


OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


to  be  his  wife — holding  the  land  in  trust  for  her  son  if 
she  should  have  one. 

Thus  E/uth  became  the  wife  of  Boaz,  the  rich  man  of 
the  village^  and,  ere  long,  Naomi  had  the  delight  of 
taking  a  grandson  in  her  arms,  and  pressing  him  to  her 
bosom.  In  after  years  the  neighbours  told  her,  '^  The 
boy  will  be  a  restorer  of  thy  life,  and  a  nourisher  of 
thine  old  age.^'  So  both  she  and  Euth  were  glad,  and 
they  would  have  been  still  more  so  had  they  known  that 
the  baby  over  whom  they  rejoiced  would  be  the  father 
of  one  who  was  to  boast  of  King  David  as  his  son,  and, 
through  him,  be  the  ancestor  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world. 


Ei.SI££K  HaBBOW* 


ELI 


ELI  is  the  last  reminiscence  of  tlie  long,  disastrous 
age  of  the  Judges,  and  is  brought  before  us  in 
the  sacred  book  which  bears  the  name  of  the  prophet 
Samuel.  He  fitly  closes  the  strictly  theocratic  period  of 
the  history  of  Israel,  as  at  once  high-priest  and  chief 
magistrate,  and  introduces  the  new  age  of  the  Kings. 

Eli — "  The  highest  ^^ —  seems  rather  a  title  than  a 
priyate  name,  but  this  is  only  conjecture,  as  we  know 
nothing  whatever  of  the  earlier  life  of  him  who  bore  it. 
When  introduced  in  the  sacred  narrative  he  is  already 
in  extreme  old  age,  and  is  recognised  by  Israel  as  its 
religious  and  political  head. 

That  a  priest  should  be  judge  as  well,  so  far  from 
offering  any  violence  to  Jewish  ideas,  was  rather  their 
legitimate  realization.  Jehovah  being  acknowledged 
as  the  invisible  King  of  the  tribes.  He  could  have  no 
human  representative  among  them  so  natural  and  fitting, 
as  the  Head  of  the  religion  He  had  graciously  revealed. 

Eli  is  the  only  instance,  however,  of  this  union  of  the 
two  highest  offices  in  one  person ;  and  this,  on  the  one 
hand,  seems  to  indicate  the  gradual  advance  towards 
political  consolidation,  which  soon  afterwards  culminated 
in  the  election  of  a  hereditary  king,  while  on  the  other, 
his  being  judge  as  well  as  priest  may  not  improbably 

185 


186  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

hint  at  his  having  acted  as  soldier  in  his  early  life^  as 
his  own  sons  did  in  after  years.  It  is  only  in  peaceful 
times  that  the  priest,  as  such_,  attains  active  political 
power  as  the  head  of  a  rude  people,  and  the  age  was 
the  reverse  of  quiet.  Israel  had  still  to  guard  its  home 
in  the  tableland  of  Palestine  against  numerous  enemies, 
and  needed  a  warrior  to  protect  and  lead  it. 

The  eastern  and  northern  borders  of  the  Hebrew 
territory  seem  gradually  to  have  been  left  in  quiet. 
The  victories  of  Gideon,  Jephthah,  and  Barak  had 
apparently  broken  the  power  of  their  enemies,  the 
Arabs  of  the  Eastern  desert  and  the  Canaanites  of  the 
northern  hills  and  plains.  But  one  people  remained  not 
only  strong,  but  virtually  dominant,  in  the  southern 
districts.  The  Philistines,  who  may  have  been  a  branch 
of  the  Shepherd  invaders  of  Egypt,  driven  thence  in  the 
patriarchal  age,  had  gradually  risen  from  a  pastoral  clan 
to  a  warlike  community.  Masters  of  the  richest  part 
of  Palestine — the  rolling  lowlands  on  the  coast,  from 
above  Jaffa,  to  the  wilderness  on  the  south — they  had 
yielded  for  a  time  to  the  wave  of  Hebrew  conquest 
under  Joshua,  but  had  speedily  risen  against  the  in- 
truders, and  driven  them  from  the  fertile  plains  to  the 
central  hills.  A  fierce,  implacable  hatred  succeeded ; 
for  the  Jew  openly  claimed  the  whole  country,  and 
doubtless  often  tried  to  extend  his  narrow  bounds  be- 
yond the  tableland. 

In  these  chronic  hostilities  Israel  ere  long  proved  the 
weaker.  The  Philistines  were  rich  and  strong,  not  only 
by  the  natural  wealth  of  their  territory,  but  by  its  situ- 
ation, which  commanded  the  transit  commerce  between 
the  east  and  Egypt.  The  Hebrew  tribes  on  the  hills, 
poor,  and  weakened  by  their  division  into  independent 
clans,  were  an  easy  prey  to  a  people  so  vigorous.    Slaves 


ELI.  187 

were  wanted,  and  a  raid  into  the  hills  of  Judea  supplied 
them.  The  harvests  of  the  upland  valleys  were  tempt- 
ing, and  were  therefore  carried  off  from  time  to  time, 
by  sudden  invasions  from  the  plains.  Israel  had  at  last 
sunk  into  such  weakness  that  no  smith  was  allowed  to 
ply  his  trade  among  them, — a  prohibition  equivalent  to 
a  general  disarmament  of  the  nation.  In  Eli's  time 
things  had  come,  apparently,  to  the  worst,  for  Samson's 
heroic  efforts  had  done  nothing  to  stem  the  progress  of 
Philistine  conquest,  and  it  was  clear  that  unless  a  great 
deliverance  was,  ere  long,  effected,  the  degradation 
would  be  complete  and  perhaps  permanent. 

The  central  point  in  the  Hebrew  commonwealth, 
since  the  days  of  Joshua,  had  been  Shiloh,  a  spot  about 
twenty  miles  nearly  north  from  their  future  capital, 
Jerusalem.  Shut  in  among  the  hills,  it  lay  in  the  quiet 
hollow  of  an  upland  valley,  amidst  orchards  and  vine- 
yards;  the  earliest  and,  as  yet,  the  most  sacred  sanc- 
tuary of  the  nation.  The  Tabernacle  constructed  under 
Moses  in  the  wilderness  had  been  pitched  at  Gilgal, 
and  elsewhere,  during  Joshua's  conquests,  but  had  been 
removed  to  Shiloh  when  the  country  was  subdued,  and 
remained  there  till  the  days  of  Saul.  Amidst  all  the 
corruption  and  darkness  of  the  times  of  the  Judges  it 
had  at  least  given  the  nation  a  local  centre,  and  wit- 
nessed to  the  God  who  had  revealed  Himself  to  their 
fathers. 

But  the  foul  heathenism  of  the  land  had  affected 
Israel  from  the  days  of  Baal-peor,  and  clung  to  them 
still  in  their  religious  gatherings  at  Shiloh.  Feasts  and 
dances  were  part  of  the  yearly  attractions  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  were  apparently  associated  with  as  much 
immorality  as  those  around  the  heathen  temples  of 
their  neighbours.     Troops  of  women,  shameless  as  those 


188  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

of  Midian^  assembled  at  stated  times^  and^  tTiougli  wor- 
sliippers  of  Jehovali,  united  witli  tlie  service  the  revolt- 
ing impurities  that  characterized  the  heathen  Asherahs.^ 
But  a  great  reformer  was  about  to  appear. 

The  notices  left  us  of  Eli  are  closely  connected  with 
those  of  the  early  life  of  his  divinely  appointed  successor 
— Samuelj  the  last  of  the  Judges,  and  the  founder  of 
the  Monarchy.  We  find  him  in  ofiice  as  priest  when 
the  child  of  Hannah  was  solemnly  dedicated  to  Jeho- 
vah, and  left  to  grow  up  in  His  service  in  the  taber- 
nacle. 

The  revelations  or  "visions^' which  had  been  com- 
mon in  earlier  days  had  been  withheld,  as  the  moral 
decay  of  the  people  made  them  less  fit  for  their  recep- 
tion. But  the  pure  and  saintly  spirit  of  the  child 
Samuel  had  once  more  opened  an  intercourse  between 
Jehovah  and  His  people.  Thrice  in  the  night  a  voice 
had  called  the  lad,  and  he  had  run  to  Eli,  thinking  it  was 
his,  till  Eli,  roused  to  perceive  that  it  could  be  no  other 
than  God  Himself,  had  instructed  him  how  to  answer 
should  it  come  again.  A  fourth  time  the  mysterious 
sound  broke  the  stillness,  and  Samuel,  now  prepared, 
heard  the  words — '^  Behold,  I  will  do  a  thing  in  Israel, 
at  which  both  the  ears  of  every  one  that  heareth  it 
shall  tingle.  In  that  day  I  will  perform  against  Eli 
all  things  which  I  have  spoken  against  his  house  :  when 
I  begin  I  will  also  make  an  end.  For  I  have  told  him 
that  I  will  judge  his  house  for  ever  for  the  iniquity 
which  he  knoweth  :  because  his  sons  made  themselves 
vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not.  And  therefore  I  have 
sworn  unto  the  house  of  Eli,  that  the  iniquity  of  Eli's 
house  shall  not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  nor  offering 
for  ever/' 

*  Translated  "  groves." 


ELI.  189 

These  ominous  words^  duly  reported  to  Eli,  were  not 
the  first  of  the  same  kind  he  had  heard  from  God,  and 
the  need  for  their  repetition  discloses  the  weak  point 
in  his  character. 

He  had  associated  his  two  sons — Hophni  and  Phinehas 
— ^with  him  in  the  priesthood,  perhaps  as  assistants,  in 
his  feeble  age.  They  had  shown  themselves,  however, 
wholly  unworthy  of  the  sacred  office.  Stooping  to  the 
level  of  the  debased  idolatry  around,  they  had  taken 
part  in  the  impurities  that  defiled  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Tabernacle,  and  had  thus  brought  discredit  on 
the  worship  of  Jehovah,  among  the  few  who  still  clung 
to  the  purer  faith  of  their  fathers.  Nor  was  this  all. 
The  duties  of  the  sanctuary  at  large  were  treated  by 
them  with  insolent  overbearing  disrespect.  The  very 
offerings  were  rudely  seized  for  their  own  tables,  and 
the  sacred  office,  as  a  whole,  used  only  for  the  gratifica- 
tion of  their  unbridled  self-indulgence. 

Such  a  desecration  of  functions  so  lofty  and  awful 
might  well  have  called  forth  the  sternest  reprobation 
from  Eli,  as  at  once  the  High  Priest  and  Judge  of 
Israel,  but  it  was  still  more  binding  on  him  as  the 
father  of  the  transgressors.  Eli,  however,  though  he 
may  have  been  vigorous  in  other  respects  in  his  earlier 
years,  had  no  adequate  sense  of  paternal  authority,  and 
contented  himself  with  a  mild  rebuke,  when  the  most 
unbending  severity  was  demanded,  if  lighter  measures 
failed.  It  was  no  case  of  disrepect  to  himself  or  to  a 
fellow-man,  but  the  foulest  abuse  of  the  priesthood  of 
Jehovah,  which  he  had  been  appointed,  as  head,  to 
guard  and  honour.  He  must  have  been  not  only  an 
easy  or  indulgent  parent,  but  cold  and  phlegmatic  by 
nature,  else  such  a  scandal  would  have  roused  him  to 
prompt  and  vigorous  action.     Yet  he  contented  himself 


190  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

with  weak  remonstrance,  and  let  things  continue  in  their 
ruinous  course  when  that  was  unheeded. 

So  inveterate,  indeed,  was  his  cold  indiflference,  that 
even  the  voice  of  a  prophet  could  not  quicken  him. 
The  worship  of  Jehovah  might  be  made  abhorrent  to 
Israel,  but  he  Avould  do  nothing  more,  high  priest 
though  he  was,  to  stop  the  moral  plague,  than  use 
disregarded  words.  '^A  man  of  God,"  doubtless  com- 
missioned from  above,  strove  to  alarm  him,  but  in  vain. 
He  was  reminded  that  his  father  Aaron^s  house  had 
been  chosen  to  the  priesthood,  and  yet  he,  the  high 
priest,  virtually  slighted  the  sacred  offerings  and 
sacrifices  God  had  commanded,  and  honoured  his  sons 
above  Jehovah,  letting  them  take  for  themselves  the 
choice  parts  which  belonged  to  the  altar.  The  evil 
was  of  long  standing,  and  showed  that  Eli  and  his 
housp  were  unworthy  of  their  high  office.  A  solemn 
deposition  was  therefore  announced.  Eli  might  hold 
his  dignity  till  he  died,  but  Hophni  and  Phinehas  would 
perish  together,  in  the  flower  of  their  age.  They  were 
sprung  from  the  younger  son  of  Aaron,  not  from 
Eliezer,  in  whose  line  alone  the  priesthood  was  legiti- 
mate, and  would  be  displaced  in  favour  of  the  elder 
branch,  before  which  they  would  sink  into  poverty  and 
contempt. 

Even  an  old  man  might  have  been  roused  to  avert 
such  an  awful  doom  from  his  house,  but  distant  terror 
was  as  powerless  as  a  sense  of  duty  had  been,  to  stir 
him  to  worthy  action. 

At  last,  after  long  years  of  patience,  the  storm  of 
God's  indignation  burst.  The  Philistines  had  once 
more  invaded  the  mountain  homes  of  Israel,  and  had 
defeated  the  force  sent  to  drive  them  back.  It  was  the 
custom  of    the   heathen   to   carry  sacred  images  with 


ELI.  191 

their  armies^  as,  in  later  ages,  it  was  that  of  Christian 
states  to  bear  with  them  to  battle  the  relics  of  saints.^ 
In  their  despair,  the  elders  of  Israel  fancied  that  the 
presence  of  the  ark  in  the  camp  might  secure  them  the 
victory,  and  therefore  sent  to  Shiloh  for  it.  Eli,  always 
easy  and  indifferent,  yielded  to  the  superstitious 
demand,  and  sent  it  to  them  under  charge  of  the 
apostate  priests,  his  sons.  For  a  time  its  presence 
sufficed  to  rouse  the  dispirited  force  to  enthusiasm, 
and  even  the  Philistines  were  alarmed  by  the  shouts 
with  which  it  was  greeted.  Determined,  however,  to 
retain  their  supremacy,  if  possible,  they  roused  them- 
selves to  desperate  valour,  which  carried  all  before  it, 
when  the  two  armies  joined  battle.  Israel  was  utterly 
defeated,  ^^and  fled  every  man  to  his  tent,"  leaving  a 
vast  number  of  dead  on  the  field.  Worst  of  all,  the 
ark  of  God  was  taken.  But  if  it  were  gone,  the  curse 
on  the  house  of  Eli  had  signalized  its  capture,  for 
Hophni  and  Phinehas  lay  among  the  slain.  Nor  was  this 
all.  A  messenger  from  the  battle  hastened  to  Shiloh 
with  the  disastrous  news,  and  found  Eli  sitting  by  the 
gate  of  the  town,  eager  to  learn  what  had  befallen. 
The  shock  of  the  dreadful  tidings  proved  too  much  for 
his  weak  old  age,  and  he  fell  dead  from  his  seat.  The 
wife  of  Phinehas,  learning  all  that  had  happened,  forth- 
with died  in  premature  labour.  The  house  of  Eli  was 
stricken  root  and  branch  ! 

It  was  long,  however,  before  the  predicted  doom  took 
its  full  efi*ect.  Eli^s  sons  having  perished,  the  priest- 
hood seems  to  have  passed  to  his  grandson  Ahitub,^  and 
it  certainly  appears  to  have  remained  in  the  family  till 

'  The  Kussians  now  carry  sacred  pictures  before  their  regi- 
ments as  they  go  out  to  battle. 
*  1  Sam.  xiv.  3.  -' 


192  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

Abiathar^  Ahitub's  grandson,  was  'Hbrust  ont  from 
being  priest  unto  tlie  Lord  '^  by  Solomon,  for  bis  sbare 
in  Adonijab's  rebellion.^  Hencefortb  it  reverted  to  tbe 
elder  and  legitimate  brancb  of  tbe  descendants  of 
Aaron,  and  Eli^s  family  ceased,  as  bad  been  predicted, 
to  bave  any  part  in  it. 

Tbe  extreme  age  of  Eli  excites  sympatby  witb  bis 
miserable  end,  for  be  was  ninety-eigbt  years  old  wben 
be  died.  But  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten  tbat  tbrougb 
many  years  be  bad  deliberately  disbonoured  bis  bigb 
office,  by  a  virtual  abdication  of  its  noblest  and  most 
sacred  duty — tbe  defence  of  tbe  religion  of  Jebovab  from 
insult  and  abuse.  It  may  bave  been  mere  paternal 
weakness,  or  tbe  pblegm  of  a  cold  and  apatbetic  nature, 
or  botb ;  but,  in  any  case,  it  amounted  to  a  crime  for 
wbicb  Israel  bad  to  suflFer  bitterly. 

Hopbni  and  Pbinebas  bave  in  all  ages  been  accepted 
as  tbe  types  of  a  corrupt  and  degraded  ministry  in  tbe 
Cburcb  of  God,  and  tbeir  disastrous  end  bas  justly 
been  beld  an  evident  mark  of  tbe  Divine  indignation  at 
all  sucb  abuse  of  the  sacred  office.  Well  would  it  bave 
been  if  tbe  evils  tbey  wrougbt  bad  ended  witb  tbem- 
selves !  Unfortunately,  tbeir  example  acted  widely  in 
spreading  moral  corruption.  So  it  must  always  be. 
Unwortby  members  of  tbe  Christian  ministry  bave  to 
answer  not  only  for  tbeir  personal  guilt,  but  for  tbe  evil 
tbey  work  in  others. 

»1  Kings  i.  7;  ii.  26,  27. 


SAMUEL. 

SAMUEL  is  one  of  the  greatest  names  in  the  history 
of  Israel.  As  Moses  established  the  theocracy, 
so  Samuel  restored  its  fundamental  principles  to  the 
supreme  place  in  the  national  life^  and  thus,  in  a  true 
and  noble  sense,  was  its  second  founder.  Two  of  the 
sacred  books,  or  rather  one  now  divided  into  two, 
attest,  by  their  bearing  his  name,  the  greatness  of  his 
influence  on  the  mind  of  his  people. 

Like  many  of  the  noblest  men,  Samuel  had  the 
unspeakable  blessing  of  a  godly  mother.  Given  by 
God  in  answer  to  her  prayers,  he  was  ''  lent "  to  Him 
from  his  birth,  and  passed  from  his  mother's  side  to  the 
sacred  chamber  of  the  tabernacle,  as  his  future  home. 

Elkanah,  his  father,  lived  at  Ramah,  '^  high  ^'  among 
the  round-topped,  central  hills  of  Ephraim,  and  there 
Samuel  was  born,  in  the  closing  years  of  Eli's  reign  as 
Judge  and  High  Priest.  It  was  the  age  of  Samson, 
who,  in  his  vow  as  a  Nazarite,  embodied  the  yearn- 
ing of  the  better  part  of  the  nation  for  a  moral  and 
religious  reformation,  as  the  only  hope  for  Israel.  In 
accordance  with  this,  Samuel  was  vowed  in  the  same 
way  to  Jehovah  as  a  lifelong  Nazarite.  His  very  name 
expressed  the  sacred  remembrances  associated  with  his 
birth.     He  was  to  be  called   Samuel — the  son  ^^  asked 


194  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

from  God."  His  father  and  all  tlie  houseliold  were 
wont  to  go  up  to  SHloli  once  a  year  to  X)ffer  sacrifice, 
and  to  perform  tlie  vows  they  liad  made  since  their 
previous  visit,  and  thither  Hannah  took  her  child  as 
soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  do  without  her  care. 
Henceforth,  in  fulfilment  of  her  pledge,  he  was  to  be 
given  up  to  the  service  of  Jehovah,  and  to  dwell  in  His 
presence.  The  act  of  pious  surrender  was  solemnized 
by  a  special  consecration.  A  bullock  was  slain  at 
Shiloh,  loaves,  flour,  and  wine  presented  as  an  offering, 
and  Samuel  handed  over  to  the  charge  of  Eli ;  his  fond 
mother  breaking  away  from  him,  doubtless  with  many 
tears,  after  uttering  the  famous  hymn  which,  in  after 
ages,  was  to  be  so  largely  quoted  in  Mary^s  Magnificat. 
The  priests  of  the  tabernacle  forthwith  clad  the  infant 
neophyte,  in  a  white  linen  ephod  or  tunic,  like  their 
own — and  to  this  Hannah  added,  each  year,  when  she 
returned,  to  see  him,  an  outer  mantle,  which  became  so 
endeared  to  him,  perhaps  for  his  mother's  sake,  that  he 
continued  to  wear  one  like  it  to  his  latest  years. 

He  seems  to  have  slept  in  the  Holy  Place,  and  to 
have  had  for  his  duty  to  extinguish  the  sacred  lamp, 
and  to  open  the  doors  of  the  tabernacle.  That  he 
should  have  been  admitted  into  the  service  of  the 
priesthood  at  all,  however,  seems  to  mark  a  laxity  in 
the  practice  of  the  times ;  for  though  he  was  perhaps  a 
Levite  ^  by  descent,  he  certainly  was  not  a  priest. 

It  was  while  ministering  thus,  in  early  boyhood,  that 
the  first  revelation  came  to  the  wondering  child.  The 
stillness  of  the  night,  the  sacredness  of  the  place,  the 
gentle  docility  of  Samuel,  and  the  reverent  counsel  of 
Eli — unite  to  invest  the  incident  with  a  universal 
interest.  Henceforth  Samuel  was  recognised  by  all 
1 1  Chron.  vi.  28-30. 


SAMUEL.  195 

Israel_,  "from  Dan  to  Beersheba/'  as  "a  prophet  of 
Jehovah..'^ 

It  is  a  striking  testimony  to  his  earnest  and  deeply 
grounded  religious  feelings  that  he  remained  uncorrup- 
ted  by  the  immorality  and  ungodliness  which  in  these 
years  had  invaded  even  the  precincts  of  the  tabernacle. 
Hophni  and  Phinehas  might  sin  if  they  chose,  but  as 
for  the  lad  who  might  so  readily  have  copied  them — he 
would  remain  faithful  to  his  mother's  God. 

The  southern  tribes  of  Israel  had  long  been  subject 
to  the  Philistines,  and  even  the  central  tribes,  of  which 
Ephraim  was  one,  were  in  terror  of  their  periodical 
invasions.  Eli  had  notably  failed  in  that  loftiness  of 
character  and  earnestness  as  a  religious  reformer,  which 
might  have  roused  and  united  the  nation  to  shake  off 
the  foreign  yoke,  and  his  sons  had  only  deepened  the 
moral  corruption  that  was  already  too  general.  The 
terrible  defeat  at  Eben-ezer  was  the  result,  followed  by 
the  captivity  of  the  ark,  in  the  country  of  the  Philistines, 
for  twenty  years,  the  overthrow  of  Shiloh  as  the 
religious  capital,  and  a  still  more  abject  submission  of 
the  people  than  before  to  their  conquerors. 

But  the  lessons  of  these  sad  years  had  not  been  lost 
on  Samuel.  He  had  traced  the  calamities  of  his  nation 
to  their  true  source,  and  had  determined  to  bring  about 
a  politico-religious  reformation.  Even  before  the  over- 
throw of  the  sanctuary  at  Shiloh  he  had  a  wide  and 
commanding  influence. 

Twenty  years  pass  after  this  catastrophe  without  any 
recorded  incident.  It  is  not  said  who  acted  as  High 
Priest,  but  it  certainly  was  not  Samuel.  The  dignity 
for  a  time  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  house  of  Eli. 
In  the  presence  of  the  grand  figure  of  Samuel,  however, 
its  members  disappear.     He  doubtless  spent  his  time  in 


196 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


the  slow  but  resolute  work  of  rekindling  tlie  almost 
extinguisked  flame  of  a  kiglier  religious  life  in  Israel. 
The  old  reverence  for  a  tlieocracj  was  not,  indeed, 
quite  forgotten,  but  tke  sensual  worship  of  Baal  and 
Astarte — the  sun  and  moon — had  risen  to  a  proud  and 
ominous  rivalry  with  that  of  Jehovah ;  morality  was  at 
the  lowest  ebb,  and  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  '^  by  special 
revelation,  had  become  almost  a  tr  idition  of  long  past 
times. 

His  twenty  years'  labour  was  not,  however,  lost.  The 
ark  had  been  brought  back  by  the  Philistines  to  Kir- 

jath-jearim,  and  had  gradually 
become  the   centre    of    a   new 
enthusiasm.     Slowly,   but  sin- 
cerely, ^'^  all  the  house  of  Israel" 
began    to    "lament   after   Je- 
hovah.^'     The  long-haired  pro- 
phet, in   his   mantle,  who   for 
so  many  years  had  been  mov- 
ing hither  and  thither  among 
the  people,  seeking  to  stir  them 
to  new  zeal   for   the    faith   of 
their  fathers,  had  at  last  fairly 
Assyrian  Baaite,  after  Layard.     roused  them.     They  had  come 
to  feel  the  truth  of  his  words,  that  a  return  to  Jehovah 
was  their  only,  but  certain,  hope  of  deliverance  from 
the  yoke  of  the  Philistines. 

The  national  excitement  now  sought  the  outward  ex- 
pression of  an  appeal  to  Samuel.  Repeating  the  coun- 
sel which  he  doubtless  had  often  given  them  before, 
he  once  more  told  them  that  they  must  put  away  the 
strange  gods  and  Ashtaroth  from  among  them,  and 
*'  prepare  their  hearts  unto  Jehovah,"  and  serve  Him 
only — and  He  would  give  them  the  victory  they  asked. 


SAMUEL.  197 

A  widespread  compliance  showed  the  deptli  of  tlie 
new  movement.  The  statues  of  Baal  and  Astarte  were 
everywhere  thrown  down,  and  Jehovah  alone  wor- 
shipped.^ 

The  next  step  was  a  solemn  convocation  of  the  tribes, 
summoned  by  Samuel,  atMizpeh,  a  hill  town  in  Benja- 
min^  that  he  might  "  pray  for  them  unto  Jehovah."  It 
was  a  great  day  in  the  history  of  Israel ;  for  the  faith 
of  their  fathers  was  once  more  owned,  never  to  be 
again  forsaken  to  the  extent  to  which  it  had  been  in 
the  past.  But  merely  outward  reform  Avas  not  enough 
for  Samuel.  A  grand  saying,  recorded  as  his,  at  a  later^ 
time,  sets  no  value  on  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  apart 
from  the  spirit  that  dictates  them,  and  proclaims  that 
"  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than 
the  fat  of  rams."  He  was  already  the  type  of  the 
future  line  of  Prophets  which  he  virtually  founded. 
Eeligion,  in  his  eyes,  was  a  matter  of  the  soul,  not  of 
forms  or  rites. 

A  deep  and  striking  solemnity,  therefore,  marked  the 
new  covenant  with  Jehovah  at  Mizpeh.  Amid  symboli- 
cal acts  and  the  observance  of  a  universal  fast,  Israel 
confessed  its  past  sin,  and  once  more  joined  itself  to  the 
God  of  its  fathers.  The  part  taken  by  Samuel  befitted 
his  character.  His  prayers  rose  for  the  penitent  nation, 
and,  though  not  a  priest,  he  closed  his  intercession  by 
offering  a  sacrifice. 

The  news  of  the  assembly  at  Mizpeh  had  reached  the 
Philistines,  and  led  to  an  immediate  attack  by  them. 
But  a  new  spirit  had  been  kindled  among  the  Hebrews. 
Trust  in  Jehovah  had  been  awakened,  and  the  remem- 
brance of  their  distant  past  stimulated  them  to  rival 
their  fathers.  The  battle  that  followed  ended  in  their 
^  1  Sam.  vii,  4.  »  1  Sam.  xv.  22. 


198  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

victory.  A  violent  thunderstorm  and^  as  Josephus  says, 
an  earthquake^  added  to  the  panic  of  their  enemies. 
The  central  tribes  were  once  more  free,  though  their 
southern  brethren  were  still  subject  to  the  Philistine. 

From  this  time  Samuel  acted  as  judge^  an  office  which 
seems  always  to  have  been  connected  with  military  fame. 
Henceforth^  however^  he  appeared  no  more  in  the  field, 
but  confined  himself  to  making  circuits  through  the  land, 
judging  the  various  districts.  He  had  already  fixed 
his  home  at  his  native  town  of  Ramah^  and  had  mar- 
ried. As  years  passed,  two  sons  grew  up  to  manhood, 
but,  strange  to  say,  with  very  different  principles  from 
those  of  their  father.  His  increasing  age  had  made  his 
duties  heavy,  and  to  relieve  them  he  had  associated  these 
sons  with  him  as  inferior  judges.  But  what  must  have 
been  his  distress,  to  hear  rumours,  ere  long,  that  they 
took  bribes  and  perverted  their  sacred  office  to  a  means 
of  unholy  gain !  Perhaps  his  frequent  absence  from 
home,  on  his  judicial  circuits,  had  been  the  immediate 
cause  of  so  sad  a  catastrophe ;  perhaps  the  homage  paid 
the  young  men  in  their  childhood  and  youth,  as  the 
sons  of  so  revered  a  father.  We  may  be  sure  that  it 
was  from  no  fault  of  his  that  they  turned  out  so  badly. 
Men  engaged  in  public  life  have  had  in  all  ages  to  sac- 
rifice their  duties  at  home  to  those  of  their  public  call- 
ing, and  hence  even  the  sons  of  the  best  men,  unduly 
neglected  in  their  earlier  years,  by  the  enforced  absence 
of  him  who  could  have  moulded  their  characters  with 
most  effect,  have  too  often  become  melancholy  sacrifices 
to  the  public  obligations  of  their  fathers. 

The  imposing  greatness  of  SamueVs  character  is  seen 
in  the  results  of  his  work.  He  found  his  people  in  the 
deepest  national  degradation,  politically  and  religiously, 
and  left  them  on  the  eve  of  the  most  splendid  era  in  the  ii 


SAMUEL*  199 

history,— the  age  of  their  widest  dominion  as  a  nation, 
and  of  their  greatest  glory  as  worshippers  of  Jehovah. 
He  did  not  attempt  to  develop  the  Mosaic  economy,  or  to 
introduce  anything  higher,  but  he  restored  its  deepest 
principles  to  commanding  influence  on  the  national  con- 
science. He  introduced,  also,  a  vital  change  in  the 
internal  history  of  religion,  for  in  him  began  the  long, 
illustrious  roll  of  the  Prophets,  with  their  earnest  prac- 
tical enforcement  of  a  religion  of  the  heart  and  life,  in 
distinction  from  mere  outward  rite.  In  the  schools  of 
the  Prophets  which  he  established,  we  have  the  g-erms 
of  a  higher  ministry  than  any  ceremonial  priesthood. 
From  his  day,  in  spite  of  the  splendour  of  tabernacle 
or  temple  worship  under  David  or  Solomon,  the  priest 
took  the  second  place  in  the  religious  forces  of  the 
nation.  Henceforth,  the  living  word  threw  forms  and 
rites  into  comparative  shade.  The  leaders  of  Israel  had 
hitherto  been  warriors,  but  his  sphere  was  pre-emi- 
nently that  of  a  prophet,  or  speaker  for  God.  The 
High  Priest  in  his  day  is  unknown ;  he,  himself,  as 
Teacher  and  Judge,  alone  appears. 

The  prevalence  of  heathenism  had  greatly  weakened 
the  bond  between  the  tribes  during  the  long  period  of 
the  Judges.  But  under  SamueFs  influence  the  ancient 
homage  to  Jehovah  spread  so  widely,  and  struck  root 
so  deep,  that  it  became  a  new  bond  of  centralization. 
All  Israel  looked  to  him  as  its  head.  The  homage  paid 
him  as  the  incorruptible  judge,  the  strict  Nazarite,  and 
the  inspired  prophet ;  his  sternness  against  idolatry,  and 
his  appeal  to  the  conscience,  in  contrast  to  mere  exter- 
nalism,  made  the  whole  nation  follow  his  guidance. 

With  the  new  religious  and  national  life,  however, 
which  he  thus  awoke,  there  showed  itself  a  growing 
sense  that  the  old  political  forms  were  no  longer  suited 


200         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

to  the  wants  of  the  time.  To  follow  a  policy  of  peace 
alone^  would  leave  tlie  southern  tribes  in  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines^  and  expose  the  rest  to  hostile  attacks. 
It  would  further  lead_,  ere  long,  to  the  old  isolation, 
which  had  been  so  disastrous  in  the  past.  Had  Samuers 
sons  been  like  himself,  they  might  have  been  chosen  as 
heads  of  a  new  system.  As  long  before  as  Grideon^s 
day,  a  strong  desire  had  been  shown  for  a  settled 
government  of  all  Israel,  under  hereditary  leaders ; 
Samuel  was  growing  old,  and  what  might  not  happen  if 
he  passed  away  without  an  acknowledged  successor  ? 

There  was,  indeed,  much  to  make  the  introduction  of 
monarchy  desirable  as  a  bond  of  union,  and  to  provide 
a  recognised  head  in  war,  Not  only  were  Judah  and 
Simeon  subject  to  the  Philistines  :  that  race  had  a 
permanent  fortified  camp  at  Michmash  in  the  very 
centre  of  Benjamin,  and  besides  having  disarmed  the 
general  population,  had  enforced  military  service  on 
part  of  it  against  the  rest.^  A  passionate  longing 
to  free  their  brethren  rose  in  all  hearts,  joined  with 
a  yearning  for  a  king,  in  the  fond  hope  that  he  would 
protect  the  tribes  still  free,  from  like  calamities.  The 
example  of  the  neighbouring  kingdoms  showed  the 
power  that  followed  the  rule  of  a  vigorous  head. 

Samuel,  the  uncrowned  king  while  he  lived,  alone 
had  power  to  carry  out  this  popular  desire.  A  king 
chosen  by  him  would  receive  general  homage :  would 
he  add  to  his  services  that  of  pointing  out  whom  he 
thought  fit  for  the  high  office  ? 

It   was    a   painful    request    for    Samuel.      He    had 

laboured  through  life  to  restore  the  Theocracy  as  it  had 

been  under  Moses ;   and  a  monarchy   seemed,  at   first 

glance,  incompatible  with  such  a  constitution.     It  looked 

*  1  Sam.  xiv.  21. 


SAMUEL.  201 

like  a  rejection  of  Jehovali  as  king.  But  it  raises  our 
conception  of  his  moral  greatness  to  find,  tliat  in  spite 
of  his  cherished  antecedents  and  deep-rooted  opinions, 
he,  ere  long,  in  noble  unselfishness  and  humility,  yielded 
to  the  national  will,  and  consecrated  Saul  as  king.  It 
may  be  that  the  circumstances  of  other  tribes  than 
Judah,  Simeon,  Dan,  and  Benjamin,  influenced  him. 
Urgent  danger  at  the  hand  of  the  Amorites  threatened 
the  land  of  Gilead,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Jordan. 
Under  their  king,  Nahash — "  The  serpent,^' — ^they  had 
long  pressed  sorely  against  the  eastern  tribes,  and  were 
even  now  besieging  the  fortified  town  of  Jabez. 

But,  though  he  consented  to  anoint  Saul,  and  ac- 
knowledge him  as  King,  Samuel  could  not  easily  lay 
aside  the  habits  of  government,  which  had  become  part 
of  his  nature.  We  are  told  that  he  judged  Israel  all 
the  days  of  his  life,^  and  we  know  that  he  predicted  the 
downfall  of  the  new  dynasty,  because  Saul  had  not 
absolutely  obeyed  his  command  to  wait  till  he  came 
to  the  camp  which  had  been  gathered  for  war  against 
the  Philistines.  The  king  had,  indeed,  waited  seven 
days,  but  his  not  waiting  even  longer  was  a  fatal  offence. 
Between  two  authorities  so  opposed  there  must  have 
been  difficulty  from  the  first.  SauFs  position,  in  fact, 
during  SamueVs  life,  seems  to  have  been  that  of  a 
leader  in  war,  rather  than  of  a  ruler. 

Doubtless  Samuel  saw  with  a  keen  eye  the  defects 
in  the  new  king's  nature,  and  rightly  found,  in  dis- 
obedience to  himself  as  an  inspired  prophet,  a  want 
of  that  complete  submission  to  the  voice  of  God,  which, 
alone,  was  fitting  in  the  ruler  of  a  theocracy.  To 
defend  this  was  to  defend  the  national  religion  and  life 
which  he  had  spent  his  days  in  rekindling  wlien  all  but 
*  1  Sam.  vii.  16. 


202 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHABACTERS. 


quenched.  It  was  well^  also,  that  the  tendency  to 
Eastern  despotism^  so  dangerously  strong  in  the  new 
monarchy,  should  be  sternly  repressed,  and  to  Samuel 
we  owe  it  that  Israel  remained  bound  to  the  law  of 
Jehovah,  and  did  not  sink  to  the  slavery  of  other 
nations  to  their  kings.  His  supreme  vindication,  if  any 
were  needed,  is  read  in  the  end  of  Saul,  and  in  the  fact 
that  the  aged  prophet  prepared  the  way  for  David,  who 
recognised  and  honoured  the  principles  of  the  Theocracy, 
and  by  doing  so  raised  Israel  to  the  greatest  glory  it 
ever  attained. 

Samuel  lived,  apparently,  for  more  than  thirty  years 
after  his  first  anointing  Saul,  and  died  at  last,  in  the 
village  where  he  had  been  born,  and  where  he  had 
always  lived  since  leaving  Shiloh.  After  such  a  life,  it 
is  no  wonder  we  read  that  all  Israel  gathered  together 
and  lamented  him,  when  he  was  laid  beside  Hannah 
and  Elkanah  in  the  village  burial-ground. 


Aw  Eqtptiait  Wobshipkng  Ibi3.— After  WilUnson, 


SAUL. 


IT  is  a  striking  characteristic  of  Jewish,  history  that 
the  transition  from  a  pure  theocracy  to  monarchy 
took  place  without  usurpation  or  violence,  by  the  free 
action  of  all  interested  in  the  change.  Causes  had 
been  long  at  work  which  had  gradually  prepared  the 
national  mind  for  the  step. 

Yet  the  first  king  in  such  a  monarchy  had  a  position 
of  supreme  difficulty.  It  was  totally  unlike  anything 
hitherto  known.  While  in  name  the  chief  magistrate, 
it  was  only  in  subordination  to  the  supreme  will  of  the 
invisible  King,  Jehovah,  expressed  through  specially 
commissioned  prophets.  On  every  side  the  royal  power 
was  limited  and  directed  by  the  authority  of  men  who 
held  no  political  office  in  the  State.  It  was  almost 
inevitable  that  the  first  experiment  should  be  a  failure. 
Everything  was  new,  untried,  strange.  The  first  reign 
was  at  best  only  an  attempt  to  set  the  new  kingship  to 
work  in  its  singular  subordination  to  theocratic  prin- 
ciples. But  it  served  a  great  end ;  for  if  Saul  had  not 
thrown  light  on  the  demands  and  conditions  of  the  new 
monarchy,  there  could  have  been  no  David.  He  was 
only  the  step  by  which  the  latter  mounted  the  throne, 
safe  through  the  failures  of  his  predecessors. 

Saul^-"  The  asked  one  " — belonged  to  the  tribe  of 


204  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Benjamin^  wliicli,  even  in  tlie  wilderness,  had  been  tlie 
least  numerous  of  tlie  tribes,  and  bad  been  almost 
destroyed  by  tbe  stern  punishment  inflicted  by  tbe 
others  for  a  flagrant  crime.^  Kish — ^^The  archer" — 
his  father,  lived  at  Gibe  ah,  in  the  hills  of  his  clan,  and 
was  famous  among  them  as  a  "  mighty  man  for  strength 
and  prowess."  ^  His  son,  Saul,  was  in  middle  life,  with 
a  son  grown  to  manhood,  but  had  no  ambitious  dreams 
of  future  greatness.  His  days  were  spent  in  the  humble 
labours  of  the  field  :  tending  his  father's  beasts,,  or 
ploughing  his  fields.^ 

Meanwhile  '^the  elders"  of  the  people  had  been 
holding  grave  consultations  respecting  the  future. 
Samuel  was  old,  and  as  his  sons  were  unworthy  to 
succeed  him,  it  seemed  indispensable  that  a  king  be 
appointed  over  the  nation,  to  preserve  the  union  Samuel 
had  so  happily  brought  about,  and  to  head  the  forces 
that  might  have  to  fight  with  the  peoples  round.  They 
determined,  therefore,  to  wait  on  Samuel,  and  ask  him 
to  choose  a  king  for  them. 

The  prophet  had  always  held  that  the  ancient  theo- 
cracy was  the  only  permissible  form  of  government  in 
Israel,  and  hence  the  demand  for  a  change  must  have 
been  very  distasteful  to  him.  There  was,  besides, 
enough  to  prompt  caution,  in  the  results  of  monarchy 
in  neighbouring  lands.  It  seemed  to  one  so  loyal  to 
Jehovah  as  if  the  proposal  to  have  a  visible  king  was 
a  kind  of  idolatry ;  a  slight  to  the  Almighty,  who  had 
guided  His  people  like  a  flock  by  the  hands  of  Moses 
and  Aaron.  With  the  utmost  earnestness  he  pointed  out 
the  evils  likely  to  rise,  the  encroachments  on  the  public 
liberties,  the  increase  of  the  national  burdens,  and  the 

*  Judges  XX.,  xxi.  -  1  Sam.  ix,  1. 

'  1  Sam.  ix.  3  ;  xi.  6. 


SAUL.  205 

tyranny  of  lawless  despotism.  But  his  counsels  could 
not  cliange  a  desire  wliicli  had  been  deepened  by  tlie 
miseries  of  generations,  and  lie  therefore  yielded  to 
wliat  lie  could  not  prevent. 

The  choice  of  Saul  came  about  apparently  by  the 
merest  chance,  though  duly  settled  in  Providence.  The 
asses  of  Kish  had  strayed,  and  Saul  had  been  sent  to 
search  for  them.  His  efforts  had  failed,  and  he  was  on 
his  way  back,  when  his  servant  men,  as  they  drew  near 
Eamah,  advised  him  to  consult  Samuel,  if  perhaps  he, 
by  his  supernatural  power,  might  aid  them.  A  Divine 
premonition,  however,  had  already  been  sent  to  Samuel, 
that  the  future  king  of  Israel  would  come  to  him  at 
such  a  time ;  and  there  could  be  no  question,  when  Saul 
presented  himself,  that  he  was  intended.  In  a  warlike 
age,  and  among  a  rude  people,  physical  vigour  and 
beauty  seem  the  indispensable  attributes  of  a  leader; 
and  Saul  was  the  most  splendid  man  in  all  Israel.  He 
was  a'^  choice  young  man/ ^  says  the  sacred  writer,  ^^and 
a  goodly  :  and  there  was  not  among  the  children  of 
Israel  a  goodlier  person  than  he  :  from  his  shoulders 
and  upward  he  was  higher  than  any  of  the  people." 
That  night  Saul  was  entertained  by  the  prophet  with 
special  honour ;  and  next  day  he  was  secretly  anointed 
as  king.  The  gigantic  Benjamite  knew  not  what  to 
think.  Signs  were  vouchsafed  to  convince  him  of  the 
Divine  authority  of  Samuel ;  but  the  honour  was  too 
sudden  and  great  to  be  easily  realized.  Returning 
home,  he  went  quietly  to  his  farm-work  again,  and  did 
not  tell  even  his  father  what  had  happened. 

A  solemn  assembly  of  the  nation  was  soon  after 
summoned  at  Mizpeh,  by  Samuel,  for  the  public  conse- 
cration of  the  king  elect.  Saul,  aware  that  he  would 
be  brought  forward  as  the  Head  of  the  Nation^  shrank 


206  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

from  a  dignity  so  unexpected_,  and  so  greatly  above 
wliat  one  so  obscure  could  ever  have  imagined  as  in 
store  for  bim.  Wlien,  at  last,  however,  on  searcb  having 
been  made,  he  was  found  and  brought  before  the 
multitude,  his  splendid  figure,  so  like  a  king's,  con- 
ciliated the  regards  of  the  crowd  ;  and  for  the  first  time, 
the  shout  rose  in  Israel,  ^^  God  save  the  king/^  ^  It 
was  not  as  yet,  indeed,  unanimous.  That  a  member  of 
so  insignificant  a  tribe  had  been  set  over  the  nation 
roused  the  jealousy  of  some.  The  usual  homage  was 
paid  by  the  mass,  by  the  presentation  of  gifts ;  but  it 
was  seen  that  a  party  stayed  away,  and  gave  none. 
Saul,  however,  in  this  case,  alike  prudent  and  humble, 
held  his  peace,  and  went  back  to  his  labour  on  his 
father's  farm.  Meanwhile  the  justification  of  the 
demand  for  a  king  seemed  to  offer  itself  almost  im- 
mediately. The  Ammonites,  under  Nahash, — "The 
serpent," — ^had  attacked  the  town  of  Jabesh-gilead,  in 
the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  across  the  Jordan,  and  had 
reduced  the  citizens  to  such  extremities  that  they 
promised  to  surrender  if  not  relieved  in  seven  days. 
Summoning  the  tribes  to  Bezek,  a  day's  march  from  the 
beleaguered  town,  it  was  presently  relieved  by  a  forced 
march  and  skilful  dispositions;  and  all  opposition  to 
Saul  was  silenced.  He  had  proved  himself  a  valiant 
leader,  such  as  the  people  desired.  So  great,  indeed, 
was  the  enthusiasm,  that  the  cry  rose  to  put  to  death 
those  who  had  not  accepted  him  as  king;  but  Saul, 
with  equal  wisdom  and  magnanimity,  refused  to  stain 
his  laurels  with  blood. 

The  aged  prophet,  to  whom  Israel  owed  so  much,  had 
no  reason,  so  far,  for  repenting  his  having  yielded  to 
the  popular  wish.    But  he  still  had  his  fears,  and  called 
*  1  Sara.  X,  24. 


SAUL.  207 

another  national  assembly,  for  the  double  purpose  of 
warning  all  against  any  breach  of  loyalty  to  Jehovah  as 
the  true  invisible  King,  and  of  resigning  his  own  office 
as  judge,  in  favour  of  Saul.  Thus  the  new  king  at  last 
stood  recognised  by  all  as  head  of  the  nation. 

With  this  confirmation  of  his  dignity  began  a  more 
marked  assumption  of  royal  state.  Dismissing  the 
general  levy  of  the  tribes,  Saul  retained  three  thousand 
men  as  a  permanent  body-guard,  of  whom  two  thousand 
attended  himself  at  Bethel,  and  at  Michmash,  close 
by  it,  while  one  thousand  were  assigned  to  his  son 
Jonathan  at  Gibeah.  The  territory  of  Benjamin  was, 
thus,  still  the  centre  of  government.  The  new  kingdom, 
as  yet,  was  little  more  than  a  name.  The  Philistines 
ruled  the  whole  south,  and  must  be  driven  out.  A 
guerilla  warfare  was,  therefore,  at  once  begun  against 
them,  and  ere  long  an  earnest  of  future  success  was 
gained  by  the  capture  of  their  garrison  in  Geba,  in  the 
very  heart  of  Benjamin.  An  instant  invasion  from  the 
plains,  to  recover  the  ground  thus  lost,  was  the  result, 
and  the  appearance  of  the  dreaded  enemy  was  a  signal 
for  the  flight  of  the  population;  who,  as  of  old,  sought 
refuge  in  the  caves  and  pits  with  which  the  country 
abounded.  In  the  disarmed  condition  of  the  land,  it 
was  no  easy  task  to  drive  out  such  a  foe  ;  for  all  smiths 
had  been  banished,  lest  they  should  make  swords  or 
spears,  and  even  instruments  of  husbandry  could  be 
repaired  only  in  the  Philistine  towns. ^ 

But  Saul  had  a  touch  of  the  hero  in  his  spirit,  and 
would  be  kept  back  by  no  odds.  His  son  Jonathan, 
moreover,  was  even  more  splendidly  daring  than  him- 
self, and  compromised  Israel  so  greatly  with  the  enemy 
by  his  constantly  harassing  them,  that  the  only  hope  of 
»  1  S.Mn.  xiii.  19. 


208  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

longer  national  existence  seemed  to  depend  on  tlie  man- 
hood of  tlie  land  making  a  bold  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence. 

The  able-bodied  men  of  the  country  were  therefore 
summoned  once  more  ;  this  time  to  Gilgal.  They  proved, 
unfortunately,  so  dispirited,  that  Saul  found  it  impossible 
to  prevent  desertions  on  a  large  scale.  It  was  customary 
to  offer  sacrifices  before  beginning  a  war,  to  invoke  the 
Divine  aid  in  the  approaching  struggle ;  and  Samuel  had 
promised  to  ofiiciate.  He  could  not  come,  however,  for 
sev^en  days,  and  Saul  was  to  wait  patiently  for  him  till 
then.  But  the  seventh  day  had  almost  ended  without 
his  appearing.  By  this  time,  "  the  people  were  scattered 
from  Saul,"  and  the  whole  force  seemed  likely  to  melt 
away.  The  delay  had  been  designed.  In  the  new 
monarchy  it  was  a  fundamental  principle  that  political 
action  should  be  subordinate  to  the  intimation  of  the 
will  of  God  through  His  prophets,  without  reference  to 
human  expediency  or  apparent  necessity.  In  an  evil 
hour  for  himself,  Saul,  distressed  by  the  breaking  up 
of  his  army,  forgot  this,  or  ignored  it,  and  offered  the 
sacrifices  without  waiting  longer.  Nothing  could  have 
been  more  disastrous.  He  had  fatally  transgressed  the 
first  condition  on  which  he  held  the  throne,  for  he  had 
acted  independently,  as  an  ordinary  ruler, — not,  as  he 
was,  the  mere  officer  of  the  Invisible  King  Jehovah. 
Samuel,  therefore,  at  once  announced  on  his  coming, 
that  this  folly  had  forfeited  the  kingdom ! 

The  brave  heart  of  Saul  was  not,  however,  dismayed, 
even  by  so  terrible  an  intimation.  His  force  had 
dwindled  to  about  six  hundred  men,^  mostly  without 
arms,  except  such  as  had  been  hidden  in  past  times, 
or  rude  weapons  extemporized  for  the  occasion.  Mean- 
^  1  Sam.  xiv.  2. 


SAUL.  209 

while,  a  splendid  deed  of  daring  on  the  part  of  Jonathan 
opened  the  campaign  with  a  great  success  for  Israel. 
Having  stolen  by  night  into  the  fortified  camp  of  the 
Philistines,  which  was  in  the  midst  of  Benjamin,  a  panic 
seized  the  garrison  and  made  them  rush  against  each 
other,  in  the  belief  that  the  Hebrews  were  upon  them. 
Roused  by  the  noise  of  the  fight,  Saul  hastened  to  the 
spot,  and  pressed  the  enemy  so  closely  that  they  fled  in 
all  directions. 

Yet  the  victory  was  less  complete  than  it  might  have 
been,  through  an  incident  which  reveals  a  weak  point 
in  Saul's  character — his  rashness.  He  had  invoked  a 
curse  on  any  one  who  tasted  food  that  day,  and  not 
only  ''  distressed  "  his  troops  by  having  done  so,  but 
compromised  the  safety  of  Jonathan,  the  darling  of  the 
nation,  who  had  tasted  some  honey,  in  ignorance  of  his 
father's  oath,  and  would  have  been  put  to  death  had  not 
the  soldiers  intervened. 

Saul  had  now  reached  the  height  of  his  fortunes. 
Campaigns,  or  raids,  are  mentioned  afterwards,  against 
Moab,  Ammon,  Edom,  and  other  enemies,  but  they  are 
dismissed  briefly.  Only  one  is  given  at  any  length — an 
attack  on  the  robber-tribe  of  Amalekites  in  the  south^ 
which  was  the  occasion  of  Saul's  final  rejection  as  king. 
Acting  on  his  own  judgment,  he  spared  part  of  the 
booty  and  the  sheik  ol  the  tribe.  The  offence  was 
fatal.  In  stern  words  Samuel  announced  that  the  king- 
dom would  pass  from  him,  and  intimated  that  he  him- 
self would  come  near  him  no  more.  A  significant  omen 
marked  the  sad  interview,  for  Saul,  having  laid  hold  on 
Samuel's  mantle,  to  keep  him  from  leaving,  the  prophet 
tore  himself  away,  and  rent  the  mantle  in  doing  so. 
"  Thus,"  said  Samuel,  "  hath  Jehovah  rent  the  kingdom 
of  Israel  from  thee  this  day." 

p 


210  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

The  future  history  of  Saul  is  a  sad  one.  The  excite- 
ment of  the  past  and  the  gloom  of  the  future^  turning 
his  brain,  led  to  outbursts  of  insane  passion,  while 
jealousy  of  David,  whom,  perhaps,  he  had  learned  early 
to  regard  as  his  destined  successor,  filled  his  mind 
with  the  darkest  suspicions. 

He  had  been,  in  many  respects,  admirably  suited  for 
his  times.  At  his  accession  Israel  was  crushed  and 
helpless  :  he  left  it  victorious  far  and  near.  Philistine, 
Ammonite,  Moabite,  Amalekite,  and  Syrian,  by  turns, 
found  themselves  defeated,  and  had  to  own  the  prowess 
of  the  new  Hebrew  leader.  He,  with  his  heroic  son 
Jonathan,  and  his  cousin  and  general,  Abner,  are  among 
the  greatest  heroes  of  Israel.  He  showed  his  mag- 
nanimity in  the  clemency  extended  to  those  who  resisted 
him  at  the  opening  of  his  reign,  while  the  lament  of  the 
men  of  Jabesh-gilead  over  his  death,  and  the  loyalty  of 
nearly  all  Israel  to  his  house,  after  his  fall,  even  to  the 
length  of  fighting  on  its  behalf,  proves  that  he  knew 
how  to  endear  himself  to  the  nation  at  large. 

His  death  was  indescribably  touching.  The  Philis- 
tines, often  defeated,  had  once  more  invaded  the 
country  as  far  as  Esdraelon,  the  great  battle-field  of 
Palestine.  A  presentiment  of  disaster  bad  meanwhile 
crept  over  Saul's  heart,  and  in  his  excitement  he  sought 
the  aid  of  unholy  arts  for  counsel.  The  strange  episode 
of  his  visit  to  Endor  fitly  led  the  way  to  the  catastrophe. 
In  the  battle  that  followed,  he  and  his  heroic  son, 
Jonathan,  were  slain,  and  their  bodies  carried  off" 
and  exposed  in  triumph  on  the  walls  of  the  town  of 
Bethshean.  His  head  and  his  weapons  were  sent  as 
trophies  to  the  Philistine  territory.  But  the  gratitude 
of  the  men  of  Jabesh-gilead,  whom  he  had  once  de- 
livered from  the  Ammonite,  could  not  endure  that  tho 


SAUL. 


211 


remains  of  heroes  they  so  greatly  honoured  should  he 
thus  insulted,  and,  having  carried  them  off  by  night, 
they  buried  them  with  due  respect. 

Thus  perished,  in  darkness  and  gloom,  the  first  king 
of  Israel,  after  his  bright  and  triumphant  rise. 


Costumes  of  Moslem  Pbasaktbt,  keab  Shbchsm.-  Captain  Conder,  BJt, 


DAVID   THE   SHEPHERD. 

AMONG-  tlie  illustrious  names  of  Scripture  no  one 
holds  a  liigher  place  than  that  of  David,  the  poet- 
king  of  Israel. 

It  is  hard  to  realize  the  remote  antiquity  of  David's 
age.  The  earliest  Grecian  chronology  does  not  com- 
mence till  nearly  two  hundred  years  later,  and  it  was  not 
till  as  long  after  his  day  that  Rome  made  its  first  humble 
beginnings  in  some  shepherds'  huts  on  the  Palatme  Hill. 
Western  civilization,  in  the  historical  sense,  was  as  yet 
in  the  distant  future ;  for  David's  reign  opened  and 
closed  in  the  eleventh  century  before  Christ. 

To  estimate  his  character  and  position  it  should  be 
remembered  that  he  rose  at  a  period  of  intense  national 
excitement.  The  desire  to  secure  such  a  political  or- 
ganization as  would  guarantee  independence,  had  been 
forced  on  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  by  the  long  and  terrible 
experience  of  the  age  of  the  Judges,  till  it  had  pene- 
trated all  classes,  and  had  roused  them  to  a  self-sacri- 
ficing, heroic  effort  to  shake  off  the  yoke  of  the  heathen, 
under  which  they  had  hitherto  lain.  The  strug^gle, 
however,  demanded  leaders,  and  from  this  sprang  the 
introduction  of  monarchy,  notwithstanding  the  tempo- 
rary opposition  of  Samuel,  the  revered  Judge  and 
Prophet  of  the  nation. 

218 


DAVID   THE    SHEPHEKD.  213 

Among  tlie  many  splendid  names  this  period  lias 
left_,  no  one  shines  so  conspicuously  as  that  of  David. 
Patriotism  had  been  kindled  by  a  newly-awakened 
religious  fervour.  A  sense  of  the  dignity  and  special 
designation  of  Israel,  as  "  the  people  of  God/^  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  had  been  called  forth  and 
fostered  by  Samuel.  Loyalty  to  Jehovah,  as  the 
national  and  only  true  God,  and  zeal  for  His  law  and 
ordinances,  had  risen  to  a  wide-spread  enthusiasm, 
which  demanded  that  the  new  political  constitution 
should  be  in  harmony  with  theocratic  ideas  ;  a  constitu- 
tion in  which  all  the  special  Divine  institutions  granted 
to  Israel  might  develop  themselves  freely,  alongside  the 
leadership  of  a  recognised  human  king.  Of  this  spirit 
of  the  age  David  proved  himself  the  supreme  embodi- 
ment. 

The  newly-erected  monarchy  already  provided  a  form 
in  which  the  popular  and  theocratic  ideas  could  unfold 
themselves  harmoniously  ;  but  Saul,  with  all  his  devotion 
to  the  political  wants  of  the  nation,  had  shown  no 
smpathy  for  its  religious  requirements,  and  had  thus 
proved  that  he  was  not  the  man  to  work  the  new  con- 
stitution rightly,  or  secure  its  success,  by  fostering  and 
attracting  towards  him  the  spiritual  qualities  of  the 
nation.  In  David  the  national  ideas  were  first  peace- 
fully and  fully  realized,  vin  him  the  right  man  appeared 
at  the  right  hour,  to  satisfy  all  the  well-founded  demands 
of  his  age ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  reap  the  fruits  of 
all  that  Samuel  and  Saul  had  sown.  He  was  the  first 
to  understand  and  carry  out  the  true  idea  of  the  king 
of  a  theocracy,  and  he  pointed  out  to  his  successors  the 
course  they  should  follow. 

*^o  gifts  of  genius,  or  proofs  of  bravery,  prudence,  or 
wisdom,  would  have  sufiiced  to  enable  him  to  fill  such  a 


214  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

part,  if  he  liad  not,  also,  been  marked  out  for  it  by  the 
special  and  recognised  designation  of  God.  It  was  as 
His  Anointed,  whose  life,  as  such,  had  from  the  first 
been  under  the  watchful  care  of  Providence,  that  he 
commanded  the  homage  of  the  nation  to  the  extent 
to  which  it  was  yielded  him. 

David  was  born  in  the  mountain  village  of  Beth- 
lehem, in  the  tribe  of  Judah ;  the  youngest  son,  and 
perhaps  the  youngest  child,  of  a  large  family.  His 
father,  Jesse,  was  the  grandson  of  Ruth  the  Moabit- 
ess,  and  the  descendant  of  Rahab  of  Jericho,  so  that 
heathen  blood  ran  in  the  veins  of  his  famous  son  from 
two  different  sources.  It  required  three  generations  for 
the  descendants  of  aliens  to  become  members  of  Israel, 
and  thus  David  could  be  reckoned  a  full  Jew,  though 
his  father  still  stood  in  a  measure  outside  the  congre- 
gation. 

The  family  seem  to  have  been  the  chief  house  of 
Bethlehem — and  as  it  were  the  feudal  lords  of  the  vil- 
lage and  the  district  round  it ;  for  '^  the  elders  "  of  the 
community  appear  at  the  yearly  feast  of  Jesse's  house- 
hold, and  David,  in  after  years,  gave  a  grant  of  land  in 
the  neighbourhood,  as  of  his  own  right,  to  Chimham, 
the  son  of  his  friend  Barzillai.^ 

The  name  of  David's  mother  has  not  been  recorded, 
but  we  have  her  illustrious  son's  testimony  that  she  was 
a  godly  woman,  for  he  twice  expressly  speaks  of  her  as 
a  '^  handmaid  "  of  Jehovah."  Could  it,  indeed,  have  been 
doubted,  even  had  he  not  done  so,  that  he  owed  his 
early  religiousness  to  her  who  had  the  training  of  his 
infancy,  or  that  he  is  another  gift  of  a  mother's  piety  to 
the  Church  of  God  !     The  very  name  she  gave  him — 

»  1  Sam.  xvi.  1,  4,  5 ;  xx.  6 ;  2  Sam.  xix.  37,  38 ;  Jer.  xli.  17. 
2  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  16 ;  cxvi.  16. 


DAVID   THE   SHEPHERD.  215 

David — ^her  ^^ Darling" — tells  tlie  story  of  his  early  years; 
how  he  clung  to  her  as  only  a  youngest  child  can,  drank 
in  her  words,  and  reflected  her  gifts  and  graces.  He 
may  have  taken  his  hero-soul  from  his  father,  but  I  can- 
not help  thinking  that,  like  so  many  other  poets  and 
saints,  he  owed  his  intellectual  and  spiritual  greatness 
to  his  mother. 

The  steep  sides  of  the  Bethlehem  hill,  terraced  with 
vines  and  olives,  then  as  now ;  the  well  at  the  gate  of 
the  town,  with  its  cool  clear  water  rising  through  the 
grey  limestone ;  the  upland  downs  stretching  away  to 
Hebron  on  the  south,  and  to  the  wilderness  on  the  east; 
and  the  sweet  valley  below  the  town,  with  its  barley 
fields  and  its  brooks,  saw  David  rise  through  childhood 
to  youth.  Like  all  true-hearted  men,  he  never  lost  a 
tender  recollection  of  these  early  days,  for  after  long 
years  we  find  him,  in  the  midst  of  the  dangers  of  a 
fierce  war,  going  back  in  thought  to  the  Bethlehem 
well,  and  longing  to  drink  its  cool  water,  which  had 
refreshed  him  so  often  in  boyhood. 

The  first  appearance  of  David  in  the  sacred  story  in- 
troduces us  also  to  his  whole  family.  It  was  the  custom 
in  Jesse's  household  to  keep  a  feast  yearly,  perhaps  as 
a  half-religious  service,  or  at  the  first  new  moon  of 
the  year.  Jessie  himself  apparently  presided,  with  the 
elders  of  the  town.  The  company  were  in  the  midst  of 
their  festivity,  when  they  were  suddenly  alarmed  by  the 
appearance  of  Samuel,  driving  a  heifer  before  him,, 
and  bearing  a  horn  of  consecrating  oil.^  The  object  of 
his  visit  was  unknown,  and  as  the  prophet  might  have 
been  sent  to  announce  the  displeasure  of  God  at  some 
public  or  private  ofi'ence,  it  was  not  till  he  assured  them 
he  came  peaceably  that  their  fears  abated. 
»  1  Sam.  xvi.  1-3. 


216  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

They  were  not^  indeed^  left  long  in  suspense.  Summon- 
ing them  to  attend  tlie  sacrifice  of  tlie  heifer^  Samuel 
caused  the  different  sons  of  Jesse  to  pass  successively  be- 
fore him.  Eliab — ^''God  is  my  Father '^ — the  eldest  son^ 
seemed^  by  his  height  and  commanding  appearance,,  the 
object  of  the  prophet's  mission,  but  the  prophet  was  held 
back  by  a  Divine  intimation  from  anointing  him.  The 
King  of  Israel  was  no  longer  to  be  chosen  simply  for 
physical  beauty  or  strength.  Son  after  son  passed  with- 
out any  notice  taken  of  them  by  Samuel,  till,  at  the 
question  if  there  were  no  other,  David  was  brought 
from  watching  sheep  on  the  neighbouring  pastures.  On 
him  the  anointing  oil  was  forthwith  poured,  as  a  sacred 
intimation  that  he  was  hereafter  to  be  King  of  Israel.  It 
is  no  wonder  that  an  act  so  significant  greatly  affected 
its  subject,  or  that,  in  the  words  of  Scripture,  '^  the 
/^  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  David  from  that  day 
forward." 

Incidental  notices  enable  us  to  realize  the  appear- 
ance of  the  future  king  at  this  crisis  in  his  career. 
He  was  only  of  ordinary  stature,  if  not  under  it,  and  in 
this  respect  very  different  from  the  gigantic  Saul,  or  his 
own  elder  brother,  Eliab.  The  open  air  of  the  steppes 
had  browned  his  skin  to  a  glowing  ruddiness,  and  his 
hair,  of  a  reddish  brown,  hung  down  in  rich  profusion. 
In  later  years  he  wore  a  beard,  but  it  may  not  have 
grown  when  he  was  anointed.^  His  eyes  were  especially 
fine,  and  as  a  whole  he  was  signally  handsome.^  His 
strength  and  agility  were  such  as  we  might  have 
expected  from  the  free  mountain  life  he  had  led. 
Like  his  nephew  Asahel,  he  was  very  swift  of  foot,  for 
he  compares  his  speed  to  that  of  the  hind ;  ^  and  he 

*  1  Sam.  xxi.  13.  ^  i  q^^  ^^  12,  18 ;  xvii.  42. 

^  Ps.  xviii.  33. 


DAVID  THE    SHEPHERD.  217 

was  so  strong  that  lie  could  break  a  bow  of  steel.^ 
He  carried  a  stick  in  bis  band  to  guide  bis  sbeep,  or 
drive  off  tbe  dogs  and  wild  beasts/  and  a  wallet  for  bis 
day's  food.^ 

In  tbe  quiet  meditative  life  of  a  sbepberd  be  bad 
been  unconsciously  training  for  greater  tbings.  Moses 
bad  been  educated  by  tbe  stillness  and  self-communion 
of  a  sbepberd's  life,  for  ruling  Israel.  In  tbe  same  way, 
tbe  greatness  of  nature  around  and  over  David,  tbe 
silence  of  tbe  bills,  tbe  self-reliance  taugbt  by  tbe 
danger  of  a  sbepberd  life,  and  tbe  very  leisure  it 
gave  bim,  were  of  tbe  greatest  moment  in  fitting  bim 
for  tbe  future.  In  constant  intercourse  witb  tbe  won- 
ders of  creation,  bis  impressible  nature  drank  in  tbeir 
manifold  lessons.  Living  among  bis  flocks  for  montbs 
togetber,  and  often  in  conflict  witb  lions  and  bears, 
he  confirmed  bis  physical  strength.  Nor  was  the  lone- 
liness without  its  effect,  amidst  its  toils  and  dangers, 
in  kindling  that  love  of  daring,  amounting  to  rashness, 
that  afterwards  marked  bim,  and  drew  on  him  the  re- 
proof of  his  elder  brothers. 

Above  all,  it  fostered  the  strong  trust  in  God  and  the 
calm  bravery  which  distinguished  him  through  life.  It 
was  among  the  hills,  moreover,  witb  their  many  idle 
hours,  that  the  shepherd  arts  of  singing  and  playing 
were  gradually  cultivated  to  a  pitch  that  early  made 
him  famous,  and  was  of  priceless  value  in  later  years 
in  connection  with  his  own  religious  life  ;  and  of  still 
more  worth  to  all  future  generations,  by  tbe  creations  it 
helped  to  call  forth.  No  wonder  that  the  greatness  of 
the  elevation  be  experienced  was  so  deeply  impressed 
on  bim  that  in  his  old  age,  in  his  last  words,  he  speaks 

»  Ps.  xviii.  34.  2  1  gam.  xvii.  40,  43. 

'  1  Sam.  xvii.  40. 


218  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

of  himself  as  "  the  man  wlio  was  raised  up  on  Mgli ; "  ^ 
or  that  he  often  alhides  to  himself  as  taken  from  the 
sheepcote,  or  chosen  from  the  people 

His  fame  as  a  player  on  the  harp  was  the  first  cause 
of  his  coming  in  contact  with  public  life^  and  tbus^ 
strangely,  of  his  future  elevation  to  the  throne.  His 
genius  for  music  and  for  improvisation  had  spread  be- 
yond Bethlehem  to  the  court  of  Saul,  in  Benjamin  ;  and 
as  the  power  of  melodious  sounds  to  calm  the  paroxysms 
of  insanity  was,  even  then,  well  known,  it  led  to  his 
being  sent  for  by  Saul  to  play  before  him.  The  reason 
of  the  unhappy  king  had  given  way  under  the  influence 
of  his  elevation  and  of  the  judgment  of  Samuel  on  him 
for  his  failure.  Feeling  that  his  hopes  of  founding  a 
dynasty  were  lost,  he  had  fallen  a  prey  to  high  nervous 
excitement,  which  the  dangers  and  responsibilities  of 
constant  war,  and  the  giddiuess  of  a  rude  grandeur,  so 
new  to  him,  day  by  day  increased. 

David's  introduction  to  Saul  discloses  the  general  esti- 
mate formed  of  the  young  shepherd.  "But  the  Spirit 
of  Jehovah,"  says  the  sacred  record,  "  departed  from 
Saul,  and  an  evil  spirit  from  Jehovah  troubled  him. 
And  the  servants  of  Saul  said  unto  him.  An  evil  spirit 
from  God  troubleth  thee.  Let  our  lord  now  command 
thy  servants,  who  are  before  thy  face,  to  seek  out  a  man 
who  is  a  cunning  player  upon  an  harp;  audit  shall  come 
to  pass,  when  the  evil  spirit  from  Grod  is  upon  thee,  that 
he  shall  play  with  his  hand,  and  thou  shalt  be  well.  And 
Saul  said  unto  his  servants.  Provide  me  now  a  man  that 
can  play  well,  and  bring  him  to  me.  Then  answered 
one  of  the  servants  and  said.  Behold,  I  have  seen  a  son 
of  Jesse  the  Bethlehemite,  who  is  cunning  in  playing, 

*  2  Sam.  xxiii.  1. 


DAVID   THE    SHEPHERD.  219 

and  a  miglity  valiant  man,  and  a  warrior,  and  wise  in 
speech,  and  comely  in  person.  Wherefore  Saul  sent 
messengers  unto  Jesse,  and  said.  Send  me  David  thy 
son,  who  is  with  the  sheep." 

It  is  uncertain  whether  any  of  the  Psalms  can  be  re- 
ferred to  this  period  of  David's  life.  It  seems  as  if  the 
twenty-third,  from  its  pastoral  imagery  and  its  charming 
simplicity,  may  be  a  reminiscence  of  these  early  years, 
and  if  so,  it  throws  light  on  the  deep  religious  feelings 
of  David's  youth.  To  have  written  thus  while  still  so 
young,  speaks  of  a  heart  which,  from  boyhood,  had 
been  filled  with  a  high  sensibility  towards  all  things 
sacred.  How  much,  how  deeply,  and  how  tenderly 
must  a  heart  have  pondered  the  great  realities  of  life 
and  death  to  have  had  such  pictures  rise  before  it  as 
this  Psalm  presents.  How  familiarly  must  the  thoughts 
have  gone  upwards  to  the  Eternal,  to  realize  that  He 
is  the  shepherd  of  men,  as  men  are  of  weak  and 
foolish  sheep ! 

The  eighth  Psalm  seems  to  bring  David  before  us 
when,  like  the  shepherds  of  after  ages,  on  the  same 
downs,  he  was  ^^  abiding  in  the  field,  keeping  watch  over 
his  flock  by  night."  The  splendour  of  the  Syrian  skies, 
with  the  white  moon  and  the  radiant  stars,  shone  down 
inspiration  into  his  soul,  already  touched  by  the  Spirit 
of  God.  The  glorious  majesty  of  the  Eternal  contrasted, 
in  the  thoughtful  mind  that  gazed  on  them,  with  the 
weakness  of  man,  while  His  surpassing  goodness  to  our 
race  was  no  less  enforced  on  it  by  the  reflection,  that  to 
a  being  so  feeble  should  have  been  granted  dominion 
over  all  nature,  stretching  round  in  its  endless  forms 
and  powers.  Nor  was  there  wanting  the  thought,  born 
of  humility,  that  this  mighty  God  chose  for  His  glory 
the  weakest  instrument  to  still  the  enemy  and  the  aven- 


220         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTEBS. 

ger — chose  them,  as  He  had  chosen  David  himself,  a 
stripling,  to  receive  the  anointing  oil. 

The  nineteenth  Psalm,  also,  seems  to  breathe  the  in- 
fluences of  these  simple  years,  celebrating  as  it  does  the 
splendours  of  day,  as  the  other  had  sung  the  glories  of 
the  night.  The  same  profoundly  religious  nature  marks 
both.  The  moon  and  the  stars  had  raised  thoughts  of 
God,  and  now  the  mighty  sun  filled  the  heart  with  re- 
flections on  "  the  Law  of  the  Lord,^'  which  was  still 
more  glorious  than  the  brightness  of  the  far  shining 
day,  in  its  enlightening  the  eyes  of  the  soul. 

The  twenty-ninth  Psalm  may  well  have  been  com- 
posed after  one  of  the  sublime  thunder-storms  of  which 
David  must  have  seen  so  many  in  his  shepherd  life  : — 

The  voice  of  Jehovah  is  above  the  waters, 

The  God  of  glory  thundereth  ; 

Jehovah  sits  upon  many  waters  ; 

The  voice  of  Jehovah  is  mighty  ! 

The  voice  of  Jehovah  is  full  c2  majesty  I 
The  voice  of  Jehovah  breaks  the  cedars, 
Yea,  Jehovah  breaks  the  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
And  makes  them  to  leap  like  calves, — 
Lebanon  and  Sir  ion  like  young  buffaloes  ! 
The  voice  of  Jehovah  divides  the  flames  of  fire ; 
The  voice  of  Jehovah  makes  the  wilderness  tremble ; 
Jehovah  makes  the  Kadesh-waste  to  tremble ; 
The  voice  of  Jehovah  makes  the  hinds  to  bring  forth. 
And  strips  the  woods  of  their  leaves  ! 

Meanwhile,  in  His  palace 

Every  one  proclaims  His  glory. 
Jehovah  rules  the  mighty  flood. 
Thus  rules  Jehovah  as  the  Eternal  King ! 
Jehovah  will  give  strength  to  His  people ; 
Jehovah  will  bless  His  people  with  peace. 


GOLIATH. 

THE  vigorous  efforts  of  Israel  to  free  itself  from 
foreign  domination  liad  resulted^  in  the  early 
youth  of  Davidj  in  an  equally  determined  struggle  on 
the  part  of  their  most  powerful  enemies,  the  Philistines^ 
to  crush  them  still  more  effectually.  Nor  was  it  easy  for 
a  disarmed  people,  cowed  by  long  subjugation,  to  resist 
successfully  so  rich  and  powerful  a  race,  flushed  with 
long  continued  victory. 

The  stock  to  which  the  Philistines  belonged — whether 
Asiatic  or  African — has  been  keenly  disputed.  Some 
writers  trace  them  to  a  Coptic  or  African  immigration 
from  the  island  of  Crete;  others  suppose  they  were 
a  branch  of  the  Shepherd  or  Hyksos  tribes  who  for  a 
time  overran  Egypt  in  the  patriarchal  age,  and  were 
afterwards  expelled. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  in  the  time  of  Abraham  we  find 
them  settled  in  the  extreme  south  of  Palestine,  as  a 
pastoral  clan,  living',  apparently  in  tents,  near  Gerar.^ 

At  the  date  of  the  Exodus  they  had  laid  aside  this 
early  simplicity,  having  grown  into  a  powerful  nation^ 
holding  the  rich  coast  plain,  from  the  extreme  south  of 
the  land,  northwards  "  to  Ekron,  and  organized  as  a 
confederation  of  strong  cities — Gaza,  Ashdod,  Askelon, 

»  Gea.  xxi.  32,  34 ;  xxvi.  1,  6.  *  JqsU.  xiii.  3. 

221 


222  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

Gath^  and  Ekron.  The  natural  richness  of  their  terri- 
tory, famous  even  then  for  its  corn-fields_,  vineyards,  and 
olive  groves,  as  it  is  now  for  its  figs  and  oranges,  and 
varied  fruits;  and  its  position  on  the  great  thorough- 
fare between  Phoenicia  and  Syria  on  the  north,  and 
Egypt  and  Arabia  on  the  south — secured  the  material 
prosperity  of  the  community.  Nor  must  we  forget 
that  the  wealth  and  civilization  of  the  Egyptians  and 
Phoenicians  in  these  ages  must  have  been  great,  even 
by  our  standards.  The  splendour  of  a  monarchy  which 
could  cover  the  valley  of  the  Nile  with  Temples  and 
Pyramids,  and  extend  its  sway  over  distant  lands, 
implies  development  in  many  directions :  nor  is  it 
without  grounds  that  Humboldt  speaks  of  the  Phoeni- 
cian flag  as  known  and  respected  in  those  early  times, 
in  Britain  and  the  Indian  Ocean. 

The  Philistines  were  at  once  warlike,  and  given  to 
commerce :  in  contrast  to  their  Northern  Phoenician 
neighbours,  who  were  wedded  to  the  maxim  of  peace 
at  any  price,  to  avoid  the  disturbance  of  their  far- 
reaching  enterprises  of  gain.  They  traded  in  slaves 
with  Edom  and  Southern  Arabia,^  and  appear  to  have 
had  both  a  mercantile  and  war  navy.-  Their  advance- 
ment in  the  pursuits  of  industry  is  implied  in  the  sacred 
record,  for  we  find  them  skilful  as  smiths  and  armourers, 
noted  as  builders,  and  even  for  the  arts  of  the  founder 
and  goldsmith.^ 

Their  dangerous  power  as  enemies  of  Israel  is  suffi- 
ciently to  be  judged  from  the  fact,  that  in  the  time  of 
Gideon,  or  shortly  after,  they  engaged  in  successful 
war  with  the  people  of  Sidon,  and  forced  them  to  trans- 
fer their  capital  from  that  city  to  a  more  secure  position 

I  Amos  i.  6  ;  Joel  iii.  3.  -  Isa.  xi.  14.  (Sept.) 

3  Judges  xvi.  5,  18  ;  1  Sam.  xiii.  20 ;  xvii.  5,  6. 


GOLIATH.  223 

on  the  island  of  Tyre.  Nor  were  they  afraid,  in  alliance 
with  other  Mediterranean  nations,  to  attack  even  the 
colossal  power  of  Egypt,  for  we  find  them  embroiled  in 
a  naval  war  with  Rameses  III.  about  this  period. 

In  those  ages  no  thought  of  peace  or  quiet  neighbour- 
hood between  different  communities  was  ever  imag-ined, 
except  when  a  special  treaty  enforced  it.  To  use 
Mommsen's  figure — of  any  two  powers,  one  must  be 
the  hammer  and  the  other  the  anvil.  Unfortunately, 
in  the  case  of  Israel,  tribal  disunion  made  them,  for 
hundreds  of  years,  the  latter. 

The  system  pursued  by  the  Philistines  in  their 
oppression  of  their  Hebrew  neighbours  was  to  make 
frequent  raids  into  the  upland  valleys,  stripping  them 
of  their  harvest  and  vintage,  and  carrying  off  any 
of  the  population  they  could  capture,  to  sell  them 
in  foreign  markets  as  slaves.  No  wonder  that  the 
Israelites  hid  in  caves  and  rock  cisterns,  and  all  other 
concealments.  These  forays  were  sometimes  extended 
to  the  whole  hill-country,  as  far  as  the  Jordan  valley, 
where  they  could  prevent  a  union  of  the  tribes  of  the 
opposite  sides  of  the  river,  and  also  hinder  fugitives 
from  returning,  to  take  up  arms  against  them  afresh. 
We  find  them  at  one  time  posted  at  Michmash,  in 
Benjamin,  and  at  another  passing  over  the  plain  of 
Esdraelon  to  Gilboa.  Their  fierce  energy  kept  the 
Hebrews  in  constant  dread,  and  in  the  end  demoralized 
them  so  completely,  that  even  their  smiths  were  for- 
bidden to  work,  lest  they  should  thus  obtain  arms. 
They  had  sunk  so  low,  indeed,  as  to  stoop  to  assist  their 
tyrants,  and  hand  over  to  them  any  hero  who  might 
aspire  to  free  them.^ 

The  first  efforts  for  liberty  of  which  we  have  any 
^  Judges  XV.  12. 


224  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

notice  are  those  of  one  Sliamgar^  the  son  of  Anath ;  tlie 
next  those  of  Samson ;  but  neither  of  these  brave  spirits 
succeeded  in  kindling  popular  enthusiasm  sufficiently 
to  secure  more  than  local  and  passing  results.  They 
aroused  the  expiring  hopes  of  the  nation,  however,  and, 
it  may  well  be,  helped  to  inspire  the  then  youthful 
Samuel  with  that  high  resolution  to  restore  the  honour 
of  his  race,  which  led  to  its  final  triumph  and  greatness. 
Defeated  under  Eli,  twenty  years  later,  Israel,  never- 
theless, found  itself  victor  on  the  great  day  of  Mizpeh, 
and  for  perhaps  the  first  time  since  the  days  of  Joshua, 
more  than  three  hundred  years  before,  could  raise  a 
pillar  at  Ebenezer  in  commemoration  of  its  success. 

The  signal  victory  of  Saul  at  Geba  was  the  next  step 
in  the  war  of  liberation,  and  was  felt  so  keenly  by  the 
Philistines,  that  for  twenty-five  years  they  made  no 
fresh  effort  to  regain  their  lost  power.  Meanwhile,  the 
Israelites  had  gained  so  much  confidence  that  they  no 
longer  relied  on  the  strength  of  inland  defiles,  but 
marched  out  to  meet  the  enemy  in  the  broad  valley  of 
the  Terebinth,  on  the  slopes  leading  to  the  low  country, 
fourteen  miles  south-west  of  Jerusalem. 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  we  read  of_Goliath  and 
his  fatal  encounter  with  David.  The  two  hostile  camps 
had  been  pitched  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  open 
wady,  through  which  a  torrent  ran  in  winter,  though 
it  was  dry,  now,  in  summer.  The  place  had  an  ill 
name ;  for  it  was  known  not  only  as  the  valley  of  the 
Terebinth,  but  as  Ephes-dammim — ''  the  bloody  border- 
march.'*  The  Philistines  had,  among  their  chief  men, 
some  members  of  a  family  of  gigantic  size,  very  likely 
descended  from  the  old  race,  noted  for  their  great 
physical  strength  and  their  stature. ^  One  of  the  num- 
^  Dcut.  ii,  20,  21 ;  2  Sam.  ssi.  22. 


GOLIATH.  225 

ber,  Goliatli — '^  The  exile  ^^ — was  tlie  special  cliarapion 
of  their  host,  and  had  already,,  morning  and  evening, 
for  forty  days,  defied  the  army  of  Israel  to  send  any 
one  to  meet  him  in  single  combat,  and  thus  decide  the 
matter  between  the  two  peoples.  His  huge  bulk,  his 
glittering  arms,  and  his  great  voice,  rolling  out  his 
challenge,  had,  for  a  time,  cowed  the  Hebrews,  and 
paralysed  them  beyond  the  power  of  spirited  action. 
Saul  alone  had  complete  armour;  the  army  at  large 
was  well-nigh  defenceless ;  no  one  would  dare  to  meet 
the  giant. 

At  this  juncture  David  was  sent  to  the  camp  by  his 
father,  with  ten  loaves,  ten  slices  of  milk-cheese,  and 
some  roasted  or  parched  corn,  for  the  chief  of  the 
''^  thousand '^  in  which  his  three  elder  brothers  were 
serving,  under  Saul.  He  was  still  his  father's  shepherd; 
but  joyfully  accepting  the  command,  hastened  in  the 
early  morning  to  the  camp.  As  he  entered  the  circle 
of  wagons  drawn  round  the  tents  as  a  rude  protection, 
he  found  that  all  the  force  had  marched  out  to  take 
up  their  position,  over  against  the  enemy.  Pre- 
sently the  loud  war-cry  rose,  and  he  hurried  to  the 
point,  at  once  to  be  with  his  brothers  and  to  see  the 
foe.  He  had  scarcely  reached  the  lines,  however, 
before  the  gigantic  Philistine  once  more  stalked  out 
from  the  ranks ;  and  with  a  voice  that  sent  dismay  into 
all  hearts  but  that  of  the  young  lad,  again  defied  any 
one  in  the  host  of  Israel  to  mortal  combat.  Amidst  the 
general  terror,  David  heard  that  the  king  had  promised 
his  daughter  in  marriage,  and  great  honours  besides, 
to  any  one  who  accepted  the  Philistine's  challenge ; 
and,  moreover,  his  better  feelings  were  shocked  by  the 
insult  offered  to  the  '^  armies  of  the  living  God,"  His 
brother  Eliab  in  vain  tried  to  silence  him ;  he,  stripling 

Q 


226         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

as  lie  was,  would  go  and  beard  tlie  liiige  foe,  and  gain 
honour  to  Israel. 

His  words  having  at  last  reached  Saul,  he  was 
brought  before  him,  but  only  to  be  discredited  as  no 
match  for  so  gigantic  an  adversary.  The  hero-spirit 
of  the  lad,  however,  knew  no  fear.  He  had  overcome 
lions  and  bears,  he  said,  and  he  would  slay  this  uncir- 
cumcised  Philistine  as  he  had  slain  them.  The  God 
who  had  delivered  him  from  the  fierce  beasts  would 
deliver  him  in  this  danger  also. 

His  earnestness  gradually  had  its  way.  He  might 
go,  but  would  it  not  be  better  for  him  to  wear  SauFs 
armour  ?  It  was,  however,  too  large  for  him,  and  too 
heavy.     He  had  a  plan  of  his  own. 

Stepping  out  in  front  of  the  line,  in  his  simple 
shepherd's  dress,  with  only  his  crook  in  his  hand,  his 
sling,  and  the  wallet  in  which  he  carried  his  daily  food, 
David  calmly  went  towards  the  heathen  champion.  As 
he  crossed  the  bottom  of  the  wady,  however,  he  picked 
up  a  few  smoothly-rounded  pebbles,  and  put  them  in 
his  bag  at  his  side.  The  indignation  of  the  huge 
warrior  at  a  defiance  from  such  a  foe  was  unbounded. 
Was  he  a  dog,  that  the  boy  should  come  to  him  to  drive 
him  off  with  a  stick  in  his  hand  ?  Let  the  child  come 
near,  and  he  would  give  his  flesh  to  the  vultures  and 
the  jackals. 

But  now  the  sling  did  its  unerring  work.  A  stone 
from  it  stunned  the  boaster,  and  as  he  fell  insensible, 
in  a  moment,  David  was  over  his  body,  and  bore  off 
his  head,  severed  by  his  own  huge  sword,  which  the 
victor  also  carried  off !  Terror  passed  from  Israel  to 
its  enemies  at  the  sight,  and  a  signal  victory  hurled 
back  the  invaders  to  their  plains. 

In  the  Greek  Bible  there  is  a  Psalm  added  to  those 


GOLIATH.  227 

in  our  version.  It  bears  tlie  title,  ^'  This  is  the  Psalm 
of  David's  own  Avriting/'  and  though  doiibtless  a  later 
composition,  it  sums  up  with  a  vivid  clearness  the  story 
of  this  great  event  in  the  hero's  life.  "I  was  small 
among  my  brethren,  and  the  youngest  in  my  father's 
house.  I  was  feeding  my  father's  sheep.  My  hands 
made  a  harp,  and  my  fingers  fitted  a  psaltery.  And 
who  shall  tell  it  to  my  Lord  ?  He  is  the  Lord,  He 
heareth  !  He  sent  His*  angel  and  took  me  from  my 
father's  flocks,  and  anointed  me  with  the  oil  of  His 
anointing.  My  brethren  were  beautiful  and  tall,  but 
the  Lord  was  not  well  pleased  with  them.  I  went  out 
to  meet  the  Philistine,  and  he  cursed  me  by  his  idols. 
But  I  drew  his  own  sword  and  beheaded  him,  and  took 
away  the  reproach  from  the  children  of  Israel." 

The  consequences  of  this  splendid  deed  were  mo- 
mentous. As  the  army  returned  from  the  field,  songs 
greeted  David  as  having  slain  his  ten  thousands,  while 
Saul  was  honoured  as  having  slain  only  his  thousands. 
The  mind  of  the  king,  already  shaken,  was  filled  with 
jealousy  at  such  honour  paid  to  another ;  and  though 
he  was  forced  to  bring  David  to  court,  and  pay  him 
outward  respect,  it  was  too  clear  that  he  looked  on  him 
as  his  rival  and  possible  supplanter.  From  this  time 
till  the  catastrophe  on  Mount  Gilboa,  David's  life  was 
in  constant  peril,  through  a  period  of  many  years, 
for  at  Saul's  death  he  was  a  man  of  thirty.  At  one 
moment  in  the  presence  of  the  king,  we  find  him  the 
next  hiding  in  rocks,  caves,  fastnesses,  and  woods,  a 
fugitive  in  imminent  danger  of  his  life.  But  all  this 
discipline  was  fitting  him  for  the  great  work  to  which 
no  fewer  than  forty  years  of  his  life  were  to  be  devoted 
— the  settling  and  extending  the  throne  of  his  nation 
as  the  chosen  people  of  God. 


DAVID  THE  PSALMIST. 

AFTER  the  great  event  of  tlie  overthrow  of  Goliath, 
David  passed  from  the  quiet  life  of  the  pastures 
to  the  more  exciting  and  splendid^  but  also  more 
dangerous  sphere,  of  an  attendant  on  Saul.  Appointed 
at  first  as  the  king's  armour-bearer,^  he  presently  rose 
to  be  a  captain  over  '^  a  thousand/'  which  was  the  name 
given  to  a  sub-division  of  a  tribe.  Ere  long,  however, 
on  his  marriage  with  Saul's  daughter  Michal,  he  was 
promoted  to  be  captain  of  the  king's  body-guard,^  and 
thus  became  one  of  the  three  intimate  associates  of  Saul 
— Jonathan  the  heir  apparent,  and  Abner,  being  the 
others. 

His  time  was  now  largely  divided  between  the  risks 
of  war  with  the  Philistines,  and  the  occupation  of 
minstrel  at  court,  to  soothe  the  increasing  insanity  of 
Saul.  But  his  position,  however  honourable,  was  little 
to  be  envied,  for  the  jealousy  of  the  king  grew  more 
murderous  daily,  and  not  a  few  round  were  willing  to 
aid  him  in  his  thirst  for  the  hero's  life.  It  has  been 
thought  that  Psalms  vi.  and  vii.  belong  to  this  period, 
and  if  so,  they  throw  light  on  his  inner  life  at  this  time. 
In  the  former  he  sighs  before  God  in  his  troubles.  He 
is  in  dread  of  being  put  to  death  :  his  fears  break  him 

*  1  Sam.  xvi.  21 ;  xviii.  2.  -  1  Sam.  xviii.  4. 

228 


DAVID  THE   PSALMIST.  229 

down  into  tlie  deepest  nervous  dejection,  and  Hs  one 
refuge  and  comfort  is  to  pour  forth  his  sorrows  into 
the  ears  of  that  God  who,  he  knows,  '^  will  receive  his 
prayer/'  The  other  is  the  utterance  of  a  full  heart  at 
the  thought  of  the  plots  of  one  of  Saul's  tribesmen  and 
followers — Cush,  the  Benjamite.  He  is  like  to  tear  the 
singer's  soul  to  pieces  :  he  is  incessantly  planning  snares 
for  him,  and  acts  as  the  leader  of  a  host  of  enemies  who 
continually  seek  to  destroy  him.  David  pleads  his  up- 
rightness; his  desire  for  peace;  his  having  returned 
good  for  evil,  and  cries  to  Jehovah  to  whet  His  sword^ 
to  bend,  or  tread.  His  bow  and  make  it  ready,  and  to 
lift  Himself  up  against  the  supplicant's  enemies.  Still, 
in  his  troubles,  his  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God. 

David  escaped  at  last  from  the  court  by  the  fidelity  of 
his  wife  Michal  and  of  Jonathan,  and  fled  to  Ramah,  to 
Samuel,  whom  he  now  saw,  apparently  for  the  first  time 
since  the  prophet  had  anointed  him  in  his  boyhood. 
His  future  course  was  as  yet  unsettled.  He  still  hoped 
to  resume  his  place  in  Saul's  train,  but  a  secret  inter- 
view with  Jonathan  convinced  him  that  this  was  im- 
possible. The  king's  jealousy  had  finally  settled  into 
a  morbid  dread  of  him,  which  put  his  life  in  imminent 
danger.  He  therefore  fled  to  Nob  to  consult  the  Divine 
oracle,  and  having  there  got  possession  of  the  sword  of 
Goliath,  determined  to  throw  himself  on  the  generosity 
of  the  national  enemy,  Achish,  king  of  the  Philistines. 
At  Gath,  however,  his  presence  roused  such  feeling  that 
he  was  apprehended,^  and  only  escaped  by  counterfeit- 
ing madness,  which,  being  regarded  as  conferring 
sacred  and  almost  inspired  immunity,  secured  his  life, 
and  caused  his  peaceful  dismissal.  The  thirty-fourth 
and  fifty-sixth  Psalms  are  assigned  by  their  titles  to 
'  Titb  of  Psahn  Ivi. 


230  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

this  period,  and  show  a  striking  contrast  between  tlie 
tronbled  outer  circumstances  of  tlie  moment,  and  tlie 
serene  composure  of  tlie  lieart  within.  He  is  the  poor 
man  who  has  cried  to  Jehovah,  and  been  delivered  by 
him  out  of  all  his  troubles.  Nothing  could  be  finer  than 
his  confidence  in  God  : — 

Yes,  fear  Jehovah,  ye  His  saints, 

For  to  those  fearing  Him  is  no  want ! 

Helpless,  the  lions  hunger,  famishing ; 

But  those  who  seek  Jehovah,  want  nothing  good. 

Let  me  exhort  you,  ye  sons  : 

The  fear  of  Jehovah  will  I  teach  you. 

Wouldst  thou  in  life  have  joy  ? 

"Wouldst  thou  have  good  for  many  days  ? 

Keep  thy  tongue  in  restraint  from  evil: 

Thy  lips  from  speaking  deceit : 

Shun  evil  continually  :  do  good  : 

Seek  peace  with  thy  whole  soul ! 

Jehovah's  eyes  are  on  the  upright : 

His  ears  are  open  to  their  cry. 

He  feels  that  there  are  many  trials  in  the  life  of  the 
best,  but  that  they  are  all  overruled  : — 

Countless  are  the  sorrows  of  the  godly, 

Yet  Jehovah  delivers  them  from  them  all. 

All  their  limbs  are  counted  ; 

!N"ot  one  of  them  shall  be  broken. 

The  wicked  perishes  by  his  own  wickedness ; 

The  haters  of  the  upright  come  to  grief : 

Jehovah  draws  to  Himself  the  souls  of  His  servants, 

None  ever  regret  having  trusted  in  Him. 

The  fifty-sixth  Psalm  is  no  less  illustrative  of  the 
depth  and  grandeur  of  David^s  soul  in  its  religious 
feelings.  It  is  a  cry  of  distress  amidst  sore  troubles, 
butj  withal,  of  unclouded  confidence  in  Jehovah. 


DAVID   THE   PSALMIST.  231 

Be  merciful  to  me,  O  God,  for  men  snort  (in  rage)  at  me : 

Daily  my  enemies  threaten  me. 

My  accusers  snort  fiercely  at  me  daily, 

Many  strive  against  me  bitterly. 

When  I  am  in  fear 
I  flee  to  Thee,  my  Trust ! 
In  God  I  make  my  glory,  and  in  His  promises : 

My  trust  is  in  God,  and  I  have  no  fear. 
What  can  dying  men  do  against  me  ? 

He  then  details  his  trials.  His  words  are  wrested  to 
evil :  every  thought  of  his  enemies  is  for  his  hurt  :  they 
dog  liis  steps  :  they  lay  snares  for  him  :  they  pant  for 
liis  life.     But  he  has  a  sure  Kefuge  : — 

My  wandering  life  Thou  hast  noted : 

Lay  up  my  tears  in  Thy  bottle  ; 

Yea,  they  already  are  marked  by  Thee  ! 

My  enemies  are  turned  back  when  I  cry  to  Thee : 

I  know  that  God  stands  by  me. 

In  God  I  glory — in  His  promise  : 

In  Jehovah  I  glory — in  His  promise ! 

In  God  I  trust,  and  have  no  fear ; 

What  can  man  do  to  me  ? 

Thy  vows,  O  God,  are  on  me  : 

I  must  pay  Thee  my  offering  of  thanks ! 

For  Thou  deliverest  me  from  death ; 

My  feet,  also,  from  stumbling, 

That  I  may  walk  before  God  in  the  land  of  the  living, 

After  a  short  stay  at  Gatli,  David  fled  to  the  wilder- 
ness, to  follow,  for  a  time,  the  wild  life  of  an  outlaw. 
His  first  retreat  was  the  cave  of  Adullam,  recently 
identified  by  Captain  Claude  Conder  of  the  Palestine 
Survey.  There  his  whole  family  joined  him,  in  terror 
of  Saul.  He  soon  found  himself,  moreover,  at  the  head 
of  a  band  of  broken  and  outlawed  men,  willing  to  cast 
in  their  lot  with  his,  in  the  wilderness  around.     Ere 


232  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

long,  however,  lie  had  to  flee  once  more  :  this  time  to 
some  stronghold  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Engedi — the 
Goat-fountain — at  the  Dead  Sea.  Taking  his  aged 
parents  with  him^  he  transferred  them  to  the  care  of 
the  King  of  Moab,  to  whom  his  own  Moabitish  blood, 
through  Ruth^  perhaps  recommended  him.  Nahash — 
"The  serpent" — king  of  Ammon_,  was  also  friendly. 
The  prophet  Gad^  who  afterwards  wrote  his  life,i  came 
to  him  while  here,  and  henceforth  was  closely  con- 
nected with  him,  and  his  followers  were  increased  by  a 
band  of  eleven  mountaineers  from  Gad,  over  the  Jordan, 
who  swam  the  river  in  flood-time  to  join  him,  and  by  a 
number  of  men  from  Judah  and  Benjamin,  under  his 
nephew  Amasa.^ 

From  the  shores  of  the  Dead  Sea,  precipitous  and 
strong  though  they  were,  David  ere  long  fled  again  to 
the  forest  of  Hareth,  in  the  now  bare  hills  of  Judah. 
There  he  once  more  encountered  the  Philistines,  attacked 
their  marauding  parties,  and  relieved  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  town  of  Keilah.  Here  he  was  joined  by 
Abiathar,  the  last  survivor  of  Eli's  house.  He  brought 
the  High  Priest's  ephod,  and  henceforth  gave  David 
the  oracles  which  he  sorely  craved.  The  four  hundred 
men  of  the  cave  of  Adullam  had  now  swelled  to  six 
hundred. 

Meanwhile  the  fury  of  Saul  increased,  so  that  David 
had  again  to  flee  and  dismiss  his  band.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  follow  his  wanderings,  but  enough  is  told  us 
to  show  that  he  was  literally  hunted  like  a  partridge  on 
the  mountains.  At  one  time  we  find  him  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Ziph, — no  doubt  a  part  of  that  of  Judah, — and 
he  is  all  but  taken  through  the  treachery  of  the  people. 

1  1  Chron.  xxix.  29. 
3  1  Chron.  xii.  14-18. 


DAVID  THE  PSALMIST.  233 

Then  lie  flees  to  tlie  wilderness  of  Maon  in  the  far  south, 
where,  through  Saul  being  called  away  by  the  news  of 
a  Philistine  invasion,  he  escapes  down  one  side  of  a  hill 
as  his  pursuers  climb  the  other.  "We  have  a  third 
glimpse  of  him  again  at  Engedi,  where  Saul  enters  the 
very  cave  in  which  he  is  hiding;  and  a  fourth  shows 
him  creeping  into  SauVs  camp  at  night  and  carrying  off 
the  long  spear  and  the  cruse  of  water  which  were  at 
the  door  of  the  king's  tent.  Immediately  after,  he  has 
his  final  interview  with  Saul. 

Psalms  liv.,  Ixiii.,  and  cxliii.,  are  assigned  to  this 
period.  Betrayed  by  the  Ziphites,  he  finds  time  to 
breathe  out  his  troubles  in  prayer  and  expressions  of 
trust,  which  show  him  to  have  been  at  all  times  the 
same,  in  his  confidence  in  God  and  lofty  communion 
with  Him : — 

Save  me,  O  God,  by  Thy  might, 

And  avenge  me  by  Thy  power ! 

Hear  my  prayer,  0  God, 

Give  ear  to  the  words  of  my  mouth ! 

For  a  strange  people  have  risen  against  me, 

The  blood-thirsty  seek  my  life  : 

They  have  not  God  before  their  eyes. 

Behold,  God  is  my  helper ; 

The  Lord  is  the  protector  of  my  life  ! 

He  shall  avenge  the  wickedness  of  my  enemies : 

According  to  Thy  faithfulness,  Lord,  destroy  them ! 

With  a  willing  heart  will  I  offer  to  Thee, 

And  praise  Thy  name,  for  it  is  good, 

Because  He  has  delivered  me  from  all  my  enemies ; 

My  eyes  shall  feed  on  my  foes ! 

The  sixty-third  Psalm  is  one  of  the  most  touching  in 
the  Psalter.  Who  does  not  remember  its  cry  from  the 
heart,  at  his  exile  from  the  sanctuary  ? — 


234  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

Jehovah  !  Thee,  my  God,  seek  I ; 

-After  Thee  thirsts  my  soul,  and  my  body  pines, 

In  a  dry,  and  desolate,  waterless  land  ! 

Would  that  I  could  behold  Thy  sanctuary, 

To  see  Thy  majesty  and  Thy  glory; 

For  better  is  Thy  favour  than  life  : 

My  lips  would  fain  praise  Thee  there  I 

Psalm  cxlii.  speaks  of  his  spirit  being  overwhelmed 
within  him,  but  even  then  he  feels  that  Jehovah  knows 
his  paths.  He  is  brought  very  low;  his  persecutors  are 
stronger  than  he.  God  alone  is  his  refuge  and  portion 
in  the  land  of  the  living.  He  is  still  trustful,  however 
dark  his  lot ! 

For  sixteen  months  more  David  had  to  live  as  he  best 
could.  Returning  to  Achish,  at  Gath,  he  got  from  him 
the  command  of  the  border  town  of  Ziklag,  and  there 
h.e  maintained  himself  till  the  death  of  Saul  at  the 
battle  of  Gilboa. 

He  was  now  king,  but  for  seven  years  and  a  half 
ruled,  at  Hebron,  over  little  more  than  the  territory  of 
Judah.  Meanwhile  his  power  grew,  and  that  of  the 
house  of  Saul,  under  Ishbosheth,  slowly  faded,  till  at 
last  David  was,  in  reality  as  well  as  name,  monarch  of 
the  whole  nation,  and  transferred  his  capital  to  Jerusa- 
lem, then  just  taken  from  the  Jebusites. 

The  consecration  of  the  new  seat  of  government  as 
a  sanctuary  of  God  is  minutely  detailed.  An  assembly 
of  the  nation  was  convened,  great  sacrifices  ofi'ered, 
musical  rejoicings  and  sacred  dances  played  a  great 
part,  and  David,  dressed  in  a  priestly  ephod,  united  the 
dignities  of  king  and  priest.  The  Tabernacle,  more- 
over, was  set  up  in  the  city,  and  the  Ark  brought  to  it 
from  the  house  of  Obed-edom. 

No  fewer  than  eleven  Psalms  refer  more  or  less  fully 


DAVID   THE   PSALMIST.  235 

to  tliis  great  solemnity.  The  twenty-nintli  Psalm  has 
the  title,  in  the  Greek  Bible,  of  "  The  going  forth  of  the 
Tabernacle  ;  ^'  the  thirtieth  is  a  ^'  Psalm  and  Song  at 
the  dedication  of  the  house  of  David;''  while  the  fif- 
teenth proclaims  the  spirit  and  conduct  necessary  in 
those  who  proposed  to  worship  in  the  Holy  Tent,  or 
take  up  their  dwelling  on  the  holy  hill  on  which  the  new 
city  stood.  The  twenty-fourth  seems  to  be  the  ode  writ- 
ten for  the  bringing  up  of  the  Ark  to  the  sanctuary  : — 

Lift  up  your  heads,  ye  gates, 

Be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  doors, 

That  the  King  of  Glory  may  come  in  I 

"  Who  is  the  King  of  Glory  ?  ** 
Jehovah,  the  mighty  and  strong, 
Jehovah,  the  mighty  in  battle. 

Lift  up,  ye  gates,  your  heads, 

Be  lifted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors, 

That  the  King  of  Glory  may  enter  in  I 

"  Who  is  the  King  of  Glory  ?  " 
Jehovah,  the  God  of  Hosts  : 
He  is  the  King  of  Glory. 

From  the  entry  to  Jerusalem  dates  the  rise  of  the 
kingdom  to  its  wide  and  splendid  greatness.  But  amidst 
all  the  seductions  of  state  and  the  occupations  of 
government  or  war,  David  still  found  time,  and  showed 
the  inclination,  to  sing  as  of  old  in  celebration  of  each 
great  event  as  it  occurred. 

The  character  of  David  is  seen  in  its  fulness  only 
when  his  Psalms  are  thoughtfully  studied.  The  influ- 
ences of  his  age  might  lead  him  to  acts  which  the  higher 
morality  of  Christianity  and  even  that  of  Moses  con- 
demn, but  his  repentant  sorrow,  his  persistent  struggle 
towards  the  right  after  every  failure,  his   frank  con- 


236 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


fession  of  his  guilt,  his  grand  trust  in  tlie  mercy  of 
God,  and  his  instinctive  communion  with  Him,  have 
made  the  Psalter,  in  every  age,  the  book  most  read  of  all 
the  Old  Testament  Canon.  We  do  not  know  how  many 
Psalms  are  from  David  himself,  but  he  stamped  his 
spirit  on  all,  and  as  the  inspired  poet  of  the  Jewish 
Church,  he  has  left  the  Church  Universal  a  legacy  of 
priceless  worth  for  all  ages. 


Case  fob  a  Book-Roil. 


Book-Rolls  and  Wbitikg  Appabatus, 


ABSALOM. 

THE  earlier  life  of  David  is  free  from  the  blemislies 
that,  here  and  there,  mark  his  later  years.  As 
with  too  many  of  us,  the  hurtful  influences  of  pros- 
perity more  than  once  led  to  acts  from  which  his  hum- 
bler days  were  free.  Like  the  traveller  in  the  fable,  he 
yielded  to  a  gentler  influence  what  he  had  held  fast 
against  force  and  trial. 

That  he  thus  proved  himself,  as  we  all  do,  a  contrast 
and  contradiction  of  natures,  is  a  warning  against  the 
opposite  estimates  often  advanced  of  his  character  as  a 
whole.  By  a  false  conception  of  the  expression  used 
respecting  him,  that  he  was  '^  a  man  after  God's  own 
heart,''  ^  he  has  been  held  up  by  some  as  an  almost 
faultless  saint,  while  others  have  taken  occasion  from 
his  sins  to  find  imaginary  difficulty  in  the  phrase.  He 
has  been,  by  turns,  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  and  one 
of  the  worst  of  men ;  but,  as  in  many  other  cases,  ex- 
tremes err  on  both  sides.  It  is  only  as  a  faithful  theo- 
cratic sovereign,  in  contrast  to  Saul,  that  he  is  held  up 
as  thus  pleasing  to  God  ;  not,  as  to  his  moral  character. 
Saul  had  presumed  to  act  for  himself,  independently  of 
the  prophet  Samuel,  who  spoke  for  God,  the  true  King, 
and  he  had  cared  only  for  the  political  interests  of 
*  1  Sam.  xiii.  14. 


238  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHABACTEES. 

the  nation,  not  supremely  for  tlie  religious.  In  these 
respects  David  proved  a  contrast  to  him,  and  so  far  as 
his  conception  of  the  duties  of  a  king  over  Israel,  and 
his  loyalty  to  it*  were  concerned,  was  a  man  after  God's 
own  heart. 

To  gain  a  true  estimate  of  him,  it  is  above  all  things 
necessary  to  realize  his  position  and  time  :  to  remember 
what  monarchy  was  in  the  neighbouring  countries,  and, 
withal,  never  to  forget  that  if  he  sinned  deeply,  he 
showed  the  noblest  trait  man  can  offer,  in  his  lowly  and 
sincere  repentance.  ^'  David,  the  Hebrew  king,''  says 
Thomas  Carlyle,  ^'  had  fallen  into  sins  enough ;  blackest 
crimes ;  there  was  no  want  of  sin.  And  thereupon  the 
unbelievers  sneer  and  ask,  Is  this  your  man  according 
to  God's  heart  ?  The  sneer,  I  must  say,  seems  to 
me  but  a  shallow  one.  What  are  faults,  what  are 
the  outward  details  of  a  life,  if  the  inner  secret  of 
it,  the  remorse,  temptations,  true,  often  baffled,  never- 
ended  struggle  of  it  be  forgotten  ?  '  It  is  not  in  man 
that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps.'  Of  all  acts,  is  not,  for 
a  man,  repentance  the  most  Divine  ?  The  deadliest  sin, 
I  say,  were  that  same  supercilious  consciousness  of  no 
sin  : — that,  is  death  ;  the  heart  so  conscious  is  divorced 
from  sincerity,  humility,  and  fact ;  is  dead  :  it  is  ^  pure  ' 
as  dead  dry  sand  is  pure.  David's  life  and  history,  as 
written  for  us  in  those  Psalms  of  his,  I  consider  to  be 
the  truest  emblem  ever  given  of  a  man's  moral  prog-ress 
and  warfare  here  below.  All  earnest  souls  will  ever 
discern  in  it  the  faithful  struggle  of  an  earnest  human 
soul  towards  what  is  good  and  best.  Struggle  often 
baffled,  sore  baffled,  down  as  into  entire  wreck  :  yet  a 
struggle  never  ended ;  ever,  with  tears,  repentance, 
true  unconquerable  purpose,  begun  anew."  ^  The  story 
*  On  Heroes,  p.  43. 


ABSALOM.  239 

o£  Absalom  brings  before  us  at  once  the  sins,  the 
punishment,  and  the  sorrow  of  his  father. 

After  the  death  of  Saul,  David  assumed  the  dignity 
of  king,  but  for  more  than  seven  years  it  was  rather 
that  of  Judah  alone, — the  tribe  to  which  he  belonged, 
and  which  hence  rallied  heartily  round  him, — than  of 
Israel  as  a  whole.  The  friends  of  the  house  of  Saul 
had  set  up  one  of  that  monarch's  sons,  Ishbosheth,  whose 
original  name,  Esh-baal  ^ — "  Baal's  man  " — throws  light 
on  the  religious  feelings  of  Saul's  household.  He 
reigned  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  but  his  career  ended, 
after  a  desultory  civil  war,  in  his  murder,  without  David's 
knowledge. 

On  this,  David  was  anointed  king  for  the  third  time, 
amidst  wide  public  rejoicings.  His  retainers,  now  swol- 
len to  a  host,  were  entrusted  to  his  nephew  Joab ;  every 
tribe  sending  a  contingent.  The  tribe  of  Levi,  headed 
by  the  aged  Jehoiada,  the  High  Priest,  rallied  round 
him,  and,  in  all  outward  respects,  he  had  become  pros- 
perous and  powerful. 

The  growth  of  his  power,  however,  was  marked  by 
two  evils  ;  one  of  which  he  could  not  help,  while  in  the 
case  of  the  other,  he  was  himself  wholly  to  blame.  His 
kinsmen  and  chief  officers  ere  long  grew  too  strong  to 
be  held  in  due  control,  and  sorely  tried  him  by  their 
ferocious  lawlessness.  But  this  would  have  been  less 
hurtful  than  it  became,  but  for  David  following  the  ex- 
ample of  neighbouring  kings,  in  forming  a  harem,  with 
the  inevitable  result  of  family  feuds  and  troubles.  Even 
in  Hebron,  besides  the  two  wives  of  his  wilderness  life, 
he  had  taken  five  more. 

The  capture  of  Jerusalem,  the  transference  of  the 
seat  of  government  to  it,  the  lengthened  and  imposing 
»  1  Chron.  viii.  33 ;  ix.  39. 


240  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

solemnities  of  the  erection  of  a  new  tabernacle  for  the 
ark^  and  the  bringing  that  sacred  palladium  to  the  new 
capital^  marked  the  close  of  the  humbler  southern  king- 
ship and  the  rise  of  the  grander  rule  of  subsequent 
years.  From  this  time^  conquest  extended  the  domin- 
ions of  Israel  on  every  side^  till  they  reached  from  the 
valley  of  the  Lebanon  to  the  head  of  the  Red  Sea,  and 
from  the  Mediterranean  to  the  deserts  of  the  Euphrates. 
A  temporary  reverse  of  the  rising  Assyrian  empire, 
which  left  the  field  open  to  the  vigour  and  ability  of 
David,  has,  strangely  enough,  been  discovered  in  these 
last  years,  from  the  tablets  found  in  the  ruins  of 
Nineveh. 

David  was  now  a  king,  in  some  degree  on  the  scale 
of  the  Oriental  monarchies  of  Egypt  or  the  Euphrates, 
and  organized  his  government  after  their  pattern,  so  far 
as  the  theocratic  constitution  permitted,  i  To  the  seven 
wives  he  had  at  Hebron  he  added  ten  more,  with  a 
number  of  concubines,  to  increase  his  state,  and  his 
financial  and  military  schemes  extended  in  proportion. 
But  the  evils  of  polygamy  were  before  long  to  show 
themselves,  and  unhappily  they  found  an  opportunity 
to  do  so  in  connection  with  a  grievous  sin  on  the  part 
of  David  himself. 

His  first  wife,  Abinoam  of  Jezreel,  had  borne  him  a 
son  named  Amnon,  who,  having  grown  to  manhood,  in 
these  years,  had  done  a  great  wrong  to  his  half-sister, 
Tamar, — the  Palm — the  child  of  Maaeahj  a  captive  of 
war  from  Geshur,  in  the  wild  region  of  the  Ledja, 
across  the  Jordan — a  daughter,  thus,  of  the  old  heathen 
native  race.  Besides  Tamar  she  had  a  son,  Absalom, 
who  was  hence  Tamar's  full  brother,  and  on  him  fell 
what  was  deemed  the  sacred  duty  of  avenging  his 
sister's  wrong,  if  David  as  king  failed  to  do  so. 


ABSALOM.  241 

But  David  had,  for  we  know  not  how  long,  been  ill  at 
ease  in  his  own  heart ;  and  even  apart  from  his  habitual 
weakness  with  his  family,  was  ill  prepared  to  punish 
sin  in  a  son,  which,  with  all  its  hatefulness,  wanted 
the  worst  features  of  the  guilt  weighing  on  his  own 
conscience.  He  had  taken  Bathsheba  into  his  harem, 
like  a  common  Eastern  despot ;  and,  as  if  he  had  known 
no  better  than  the  kings  round  him,  had  virtually 
murdered  her  husband  to  get  her.  This  grievous  scandal 
had  brought  on  him  the  stern  rebuke  of  the  prophet 
Nathan.  Henceforth  "the  sword  would  never  depart 
from  his  house ; "  he  had  despised  God,  and  would  have 
to  bear  a  terrible  punishment. 

In  all  Eastern  races  familj-  injuries  must  be  avenged 
by  the  head  of  theTiouse  ;  or,  if  he  fail  in  his  duty,  by 
the  nearest  relative.  [Jacobus  sons  had  avenged  the 
wrong  done  to  their  sisler,  Dinah ;  and  as  David,  at 
once  weak  towards  his  children,  and  crippled  by  his 
own  guilty  conscience,  would  do  nothing  to  avenge  the 
injury  done  to  Tamar,  Absalom,  as  her  full  brother, 
determined,  himself,  to  become  her  avenger.  For  two 
years  he  had  waited  to  see  if  David  would  stir  in  the 
matter.  Amnon,  as  the  eldest  son,  and  as  such  the  heir 
presumptive,  had  added  insult  to  wrong,  for  he  had 
treated  Tamar  with  insolent  harshness  after  criminal 
violence  towards  her. 

At .  last  an  opportunity  seemed  to  ofifer  itself  for 
vengeance.  Like  most  of  the  royal  personages  of  Israel 
Absalom  drew  a  revenue  from  his  flocks  and  herds,  and 
was  wont  to  celebrate  the  shearing  of  his  sheep,  each 
season,  by  a  festival.  He  now  invited  all  his  brothers, 
Amnon  amongst  them,  to  such  a  rejoicing  on  his  estate 
in  Baal-hazor,  on  the  marches  of  Ephraim  and  Benjamin. 
Tamar  had  lived  in  his  house  ever  since  her  dishonour; 


242  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS 

her  maidenly  robe  of  bright  colours  laid  aside, — a  de- 
solate and  broken-spirited  shadow  of  her  former  self. 
Absalom  had  never  spoken  to  Amnon  since  the  shame- 
ful day,  but  had  nursed  the  hatred  he  bore  him_,  by  the 
constant  sight  of  his  injured  sister  cowering  under  his 
protection. 

In  an  evil  hour  for  himself^  the  wrong-doer,  taking 
the  invitation  as  a  sign  of  forgiveness  and  reconciliation, 
accepted  it.  Absalom  had  wished  to  have  David  present 
also,  that  the  vengeance  which  should  have  come  from 
his  hand  should  at  least  be  carried  out  before  him ;  but 
he  excused  himself.  There  had  been,  indeed,  some  diffi- 
culty in  his  getting  permission  to  invite  the  brothers, 
and  above  all  Amnon,  for  David  appears  to  have 
dreaded  some  evil  in  so  sudden  an  overture  of  friend- 
ship after  such  long-continued  hatred.  But  dissimula- 
tion at  last  threw  him  off  his  guard,  and  the  doomed  one 
was  allowed  to  go  with  the  rest. 

The  murder  was  openly  carried  out.  To  give  it  a 
due  legality  as  a  just  revenge  there  was  no  attempt  at 
concealment :  the  whole  of  the  princes  were  forced  to 
witness  it.  Waiting  till  the  wine  was  passing  freely, 
Absalom  himself  gave  the  command  to  his  servants  to 
stab  Amnon,  and  they  did  it  forthwith.  The  confusion 
and  alarm  were  great,  for  each  might  be  charged  with 
being  privy  to  the  act,  and  hence  all,  instantly,  mounted 
their  mules  and  fled.  Absalom,  also,  forthwith  has- 
tened over  the  Jordan  to  Talmai,  king  of  Geshur,  and 
stayed  there  in  exile  for  three  years,  to  escape  the 
otherwise  inevitable  punishment  of  his  deed. 

It  is  easy  to  fancy  the  excitement  such  an  event  would 
cause.  David  rose,  and  rent  his  garments,  and  lay  on 
the  earth ;  his  servants  standing  round  him  with  their 
garments   also  rent.    Meanwhile,  the  king's  sons,  with 


ABSALOM. 


243 


their  numerous  attendants^  reached  Jerusalem,  for  the 
bad  news  had  travelled  before  them,  and  they,  with 
the  king  and  his  servants,  gave  way  to  loud  laments, 
and  ^'  wept  sore/'^  But  while  they  were  thus  for  the 
moment  paralysed,  the  avenger  was  in  swift  flight  to 
safety. 

The  incident  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  one  aspect  of  the 
character  of  Absalom,  and  is,  perhaps,  the  key  to  all 
that  followed.  Though  Amnon  had  been  the  son  of  a 
Avife  of  the  earliest  lowly  time  of  his  father's  life,  he 
was  the  son  of  the  first  wife  after  David  began  to  reign 
in  Hebron.  Now  that  the  elder  brother  was,  as  he 
believed,  rightly  put  to  death,  why  should  not  Absalom 
be  heir  ? 

His  tenderness  to  his  sister,  and  even  his  fierce  re- 
venge for  her  wrong,  show  a  nature  kindly  and  loyal, 
though  warped  by  the  blood-laws  of  the  age.  His 
success  in  inducing  David  to  let  Amnon  join  the  feast, 
speaks  of  craft  and  dissimulation :  the  murder  itself 
shows  a  reckless  daring  that  might  have  achieved  what 
it  chose  if  it  had  been  supported  by  equal  intellectual 
vigour.  The  succeeding  events  in  his  life  will  fall  more 
naturally  in  connection  with  other  names  bound  up  with 
his  future  career. 

1  2  Sam.  xiii.  36. 


Il^ 

W^^t^ 

IP^^ 

r^"^^^ 

•^^ij 

^W™ 

^^^/^ 

lii 

^1 

rl  (^ 

^^ 

^^ 

M 

JOAR 

AMONG  those  wlio  rallied  round  David  wlien  a  fugi- 
tive from  Saul,  witli  liis  head-quarters  at  the  cave 
of  Adullam,  were  the  different  branches  of  his  father 
Jesse's  house,  who  were,  perhaps,  in  danger  of  pro- 
scription by  the  infuriated  king,  as  the  relations  of  one 
so  hated  and  feared.  Not  only  his  brothers  but  his 
nephews  appear  to  have  cast  in  their  lot  with  him  at 
this  critical  time,  though  only  one  is  mentioned  till 
after  his  settlement  in  Hebron.  His  brothers  seem 
never  to  have  taken  prominent  places  under  him,  but 
it  was  very  different  with  his  three  nephews — Abishai, 
Joab,  and  Asahel. 

The  mother  of  these  famous  sons  was  Zeruiah  the 
sister  of  David,  but  it  is  curious  to  note  that  their 
father  is  never  mentioned.  They  were  Bethlehem  men 
like  David  himself,  and  showed  the  physical  vigour  and 
courage  of  their  race,  but  were  wanting  in  the  loftier 
qualities  which  raised  David  above  the  rough  soldiers 
and  fierce  chiefs  of  the  day.  Job  alone  exhibited  traits 
of  military  capacity  and  talent  for  ruling,  which  raised 
him  to  the  highest  position  in  the  state,  under  the 
throne. 

The  first  mention  of  Joab's  name  throws  a  lurid  light 
on    the    disorders    and    misery    of    David's    reign    at 

24A 


JOAB.  245 

Hebron.  Abner,  a  full  cousin  of  Saul,  bad  set  up 
Isliboslieth,  Saul's  son,  as  king  of  all  the  tribes,  except 
Judab — wliicb  followed  David.  He  bad  not,  indeed, 
been  able  to  do  so  for  five  years  after  Saul's  deatb 
at  Gilboa,  so  firmly  was  the  land  at  large  held  by  the 
Philistines,  after  their  victory  at  that  place ;  but  when 
once  proclaimed,  the  new  ruler  became  necessarily  a 
rival  of  David.  Some  time  after,  Abner,  his  foremost 
man,  and  a  number  of  Ishbosheth's  retainers,  crossed 
the  Jordan  and  came  to  Gibeon  from  Mahanaim,  the 
temporary  capital,  perhaps  on  a  religious  visit  to  that 
shrine. 

Their  presence  in  Benjamin  instantly  roused  the 
watchfulness  of  David,  and  caused  him  to  send  his 
nephew  Joab  with  a  band  to  observe  their  movements. 
On  the  east  side  of  the  hill  on  which  Gibeon — "  The 
hill  town  " — stood,  one  still  sees  the  remains  of  a  tank 
or  pool  about  120  feet  by  100  in  size,  into  which  a 
copious  stream  flows  from  amidst  the  lines  of  olives  and 
vines  which  rise  on  natural  terraces  over  it.  Here,  at 
^'^the  pool  of  Gibeon,"  the  two  parties  met  and  watched 
each  other  from  the  opposite  sides  of  the  tank.  As 
yet  there  had  been  no  open  hostility,  and  Abner,  tired 
of  the  strained  unnaturalness  of  such  mutual  jealousy, 
fancied  blood  might  be  saved  and  the  claims  of  David 
and  his  own  master  settled,  if,  instead*  of  a  general 
battle,  a  few  of  the  finest  men  on  each  side  came  for- 
ward as  champions,  on  whose  success  or  defeat  the  issue 
should  be  staked.  It  was  a  custom  of  those  ages,  and 
indeed  of  ages  much  later.  Goliath  had  acted  as  bravo 
to  the  Philistine  army,  and  in  our  own  history  Bohun 
played  the  same  part  at  Bannockburn.  Twelve  men  from 
each  party  accordingly  stepped  out ;  but  the  left-handed 
Benjamites  and  the  right-handed  men  of  Judah  each 


246  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

caught  liis  adversary  by  the  hair,  and  having  thus  their 
sword-hand  free,  ran  their  weapons  into  each  other's 
side,  so  that  all  died  together.  Such  a  mishap  at  once 
roused  the  fierce  passions  of  both  parties,  and  ''  a  very 
sore  battle  '^  followed,  in  which  Abner  was  beaten  and 
fled.  Joab  had  shown  his  loyalty  to  David  by  a  heavy 
blow  at  the  power  of  his  rival,  but  it  drew  one  result 
after  it  which,  in  after  years,  was  to  darken  his  fair 
fame,  and  in  the  end  bring  on  himself  a  violent  death. 
His  younger  brother,  Asahel, — like  David,  a  fleet  runner, 
— pursued  Abner,  and  refused  to  turn  back  when  once 
and  again  entreated,  till  the  strong  man,  to  save  his 
life,  had  to  take  that  of  the  stripling,  and  thus  created 
a  deadly  blood-feud  between  himself  and  Joab.  The 
fierce  chase  of  the  fugitives  was  only  ended  at  sunset 
by  an  appeal  of  Abner  to  his  opponent  not  to  push  the 
quarrel  to  extremities,  but  Job  only  deferred  his  re- 
venge on  Abner  himself. 

The  civil  war  thus  kindled  continued  apparently  for 
years,  during  which  success  and  strength  passed  more 
and  more  into  the  hands  of  David.  Abner,  however, 
loyally  supported  Ishbosheth  till,  in  an  evil  hour  for  his 
master,  he  fell  into  unmerited  disgrace,  and  went  to 
Hebron  to  transfer  his  allegiance  to  the  rising  power  he 
had  hitherto  so  faithfully  opposed. 

Appreciating  his  personal  character,  and  doubtless 
pleased  with  a  defection  which  would  so  greatly  weaken 
his  rival,  David  received  him  with  marked  favour.  He 
had,  indeed,  deserved  a  favourable  reception;  for  he 
had  already  used  his  great  influence  to  unite  all  Israel 
under  David's  sole  rule.  Joab  was  not  at  Hebron  when 
the  treaty  of  peace  was  made  between  his  master  and 
Abner ;  but  heard  of  it  on  his  return  from  a  successful 
fray,  soon  after  the  new  supporter  of  David  had  been 


JOAB,  247 

honourably  dismissed.  The  old  blood-feud  instantly- 
rose  in  bis  mind,  and,  perhaps,  with  it,  the  unworthy 
thought  that  he  might  find  a  rival  in  the  illustrious 
subject  just  gained.  Feeling  his  power  as  head  of  the 
fighting  men  of  David,  and  jealous  of  any  loss  of  favour, 
he  resolved  at  once  to  prevent  any  fear  of  this,  and 
to  avenge  his  brother  by  an  act  of  base  treachery. 
Sending  swift  messengers  after  Abner,  he  induced  him 
unsuspectingly  to  return  to  Hebron ;  and  meeting  him 
at  the  town  gate,  as  if  to  do  him  honour,  secretly  stabbed 
him.  Fierce,  vindictive,  and  remorseless,  he  had  at  one 
blow  secured  his  position,  and  quenched  the  long-stand- 
ing feud. 

The  dangerous  power  of  a  leader  so  resolute  and  so 
strong  in  the  attachment  of  the  fighting  men,  was  strik- 
ingly shown  in  David's  helplessness  to  punish  such  a  base 
violation  of  his  safeguard.  Bewailing  the  fallen  hero, 
he  was  able  to  force  Joab  to  follow  the  bier  in  sackcloth 
and  rent  garments,  but  he  could  do  no  more.  ^^  The 
sons  of  Zeruiah  were  too  hard  for  him,^'  and  darkened 
his  whole  future  life  by  their  undue  power,  which  he 
could  not  control  as  became  his  kingly  position. 

The  cause  of  Ishbosheth  was  ruined  by  the  defection 
and  death  of  his  general ;  and  his  own  murder,  which 
followed  soon  after,  left  David  the  undisputed  king 
of  the  whole  nation.  With  a  wise  and  statesmanlike 
judgment  the  new  ruler  forthwith  resolved  to  transfer 
his  government  from  the  secluded  Hebron  to  a  more 
central  position,  which  he  saw  in  the  strong  city  of 
Jebus,  the  future  Jerusalem  till  now  held  by  the  original 
inhabitants  of  the  country.  Relying  on  its  strength, 
they  dared  attack ;  but  David,  stimulating  his  retainers 
by  the  promise  that  he  who  took  it  should  be  captain  of 
his  forces,  and  thus  the  first  subject  in  the  state,  Joab 


248  OLD  TESTAMENT  dHAEAGTEBS. 

led  a  band  on  tlie  desperate  enterprise^,  surprised  tlie 
famous  citadelj  a^nd  won  tlie  higli  reward. 

In  this  post  lie  served  tlie  king  with  splendid  fidelity. 
The  charge  of  the  almost  constant  wars  that  followed 
was  confided  to  him_,  and  thus  he  was  in  reality  the 
founder^  in  its  widest  sense^  of  the  Jewish  empire.  His 
brother,  Abishai,  served  in  high  ofiice  under  him ;  but 
he  himself  was  raised  by  many  honours  above  all  others. 
A  chief  armour-bearer  followed  him,  and  ten  attendants 
carried  his  baggage  and  equipments.  The  signal  for 
battle  or  retreat,  hitherto  given  by  the  king  or  judge, 
was  left  to  him,  and  he  was  "  the  prince  "  of  the  king's 
army,  with  the  title  of  lord.^  In  the  short  intervals  of 
peace  he  lived  in  Jerusalem,  but  he  had  an  estate  in  the 
country.^ 

Brief  hints  of  his  principal  campaigns  are  supplied  in 
the  sacred  narrative.  He  commanded  in  two  great  wars 
against  the  Ammonites  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan.  In 
the  first,  that  nation  was  allied  with  the  Syrians,  but 
Joab  and  Abishai,  attacking  them  before  the  union  of 
their  armies,  inflicted  crushing  defeats,  which  David 
himself  followed  up  in  a  battle  with  the  Syrians  and 
a  number  of  allies,  from  the  region  of  the  Euphrates. 
In  the  second,  Joab  besieged  Rabbah,  the  Ammonite 
capital ;  and  having  taken  the  lower  town,  showed  his 
magnanimous  loyalty  by  sending  for  David  to  come  and 
lead  the  assault  on  the  citadel,  that  he,  rather  than  a 
subject,  should  have  the  crowning  honour  of  the  cam- 
paign. 

It  would  have  been  better  for  both,  however,  if  Joab's 

loyalty  had  confined  itself  to  acts  so  worthy.     It  was, 

unfortunately,  as  unscrupulous  as  it  was  faithful,  for  it 

was  at  this  siege  that  he  carried  out  the  infamous  order 

»  2  Sam  xi.  11.  2  2  Sam.  xiv.  30- 


JOAB.  249 

of  David,  to  get  rid  of  Uriali  the  Hittite,  wliose  wife 
the  king  had  taken  into  his  harem.  The  knowledge  of 
such  a  dark  secret  of  state  may  well  have  increased  the 
fear  in  which  his  master  held  him. 

A  war  with  Edom,  in  which  David  won  the  decisive 
victory,  while  Joab  was  left  to  follow  it  up,  intervened 
between  the  two  wars  with  Ammon.  He  remained  for 
six  months  in  the  country,^  ruthlessly  hunting  down 
and  killing  every  male  he  could  find,  till  his  name 
became,  while  he  lived,  an  abiding  terror  with  the 
remnant  of  the  population.^ 

The  crime  of  Uriah's  murder  had  been  the  beginning 
of  sorrows  to  the  king.  It  was  soon  followed,  in  only 
too  close  imitation,  by  the  outrage  of  his  eldest  son, 
Amnon,  on  Tamar,  and  that  led,  two  years  after,  to 
the  murder  of  the  offender  by  Absalom.  Then  followed 
Absalom's  flight,  and  his  exile  for  three  years,  beyond 
the  Jordan.  Ever  firm  in  his  loyalty,  Joab  determined, 
at  last,  to  reconcile  father  and  son,  and  thus  restore 
peace  to  the  royal  family,  and  succeeded  in  effecting 
the  offender's  recall  to  Jerusalem,  though  he  had  to 
use  a  stratagem  to  effect  it.  But  David  absolutely 
refused  to  see  Absalom,  and  kept  him  from  court  for 
two  years ;  Joab  declining  to  act  further  in  the  matter. 
At  last,  however,  he  was  won  over  at  an  interview 
obtained  with  him  by  the  prince,  to  plead  on  his  behalf 
with  the  king,  and  succeeded  in  procuring  his  full 
pardon.  The  beauty  of  Absalom  and  his  winning 
manners,  soon  to  prove  so  great  a  danger,  had  moved 
the  heart  even  of  the  stern  soldier. 

In  the  great  rebellion  which  soon  after  broke  out, 
Joab  stood  by  David  with  unflinching  fidelity,  not 
shrinking  even  from  putting  Absalom  to  death  when 
»  1  Kings  xi.  15,  16.  «  1  Kings  xi,  2]. 


250  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEKS. 

he  had  the  opportui]ity_,  to  crush  all  danger  for  the 
future.  He  knew  the  weakness  of  the  king  for  his 
children,  but  he  was  sincere  enough  in  his  attachment 
to  him  to  brave  all  personal  consequences.  That  he 
had  much  to  fear  was  soon  seen,  for  David  not  only 
refused  to  acknowledge  a  service  so  vital,  but  in  his 
unreasoning  anger  displaced  Joab  from  his  post  ol 
commander-in-chief,  installing  in  his  place  Amasa, 
another  of  his  nephews,  though  he  had  been  the  general 
of  Absalom. 

Fierce  resentment  at  such  treatment  was  only  natural, 
but  the  mode  in  which  it  showed  itself  left  a  blot  on 
Joab's  memory  as  dark  and  ineffaceable  as  the  murder 
of  Abner.  Furious  at  being  supplanted  by  a  pardoned 
rebel,  and  no  less  so  at  all  his  services  being  forgotten 
in  punishment  for  an  act  prompted  only  by  supreme 
zeal  for  his  master,  he  determined  to  revenge  himself 
at  once  on  David  and  Amasa.  Hasting  out  to  quench 
the  last  traces  of  the  revolt,  he  met  his  cousin  at 
Gibeon,  bent  on  hunting  down  those  whom  he  had  now 
deserted.  Pretending  friendship,  Joab  saluted  him, 
Judas-like,  with  the  peaceful  words,  ''  Art  thou  in 
health,  my  brother  ?  '^  and  when  the  unsuspecting  man 
let  him  come  near  to  touch  his  beard  and  kiss  him,  took 
advantage  of  the  moment  to  run  him  through,  leaving 
him  weltering  in  his  blood  at  the  side  of  the  path.  His 
murderer,  with  his  sandals  wet,  and  his  person  stained 
by  the  gush  that  had  burst  from  the  wound,^  coolly 
went  on  in  his  pursuit  of  the  rebels. 

The  death  of  the  rough,  fierce,  faithful  servant  was 
touching.  He  had  been  true  through  all  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  David's  career,  but,  at  last,  from  whatever 
cause,  favoured  Adonijah,  notwithstanding  David's 
^  1  Kinprs  ii.  5. 


JOAB. 


251 


nomination  of  Solomon  as  liis  successor.  In  spite  of 
all  his  services,  David  liad  groaned  under  tlie  tyranny 
of  a  subject  too  powerful  for  him.  and  this  treason 
filled  the  measure  of  his  long  pent-up  indignation. 
Himself  a  soldier,  capable  of  the  harshest  deeds,  in 
spite  of  the  gentler  traits  of  his  higher  nature,  he  could 
not  die  till  he  had  given  orders  to  Solomon  to  carry 
out  his  vengeance  on  the  grey-headed  commander. 
Adonijah's  renewed  attempt  to  gain  the  throne  at 
David's  death  sealed  Joab's  fate.  Abiathar,  the  high 
priest,  a  friend  and  fellow-conspirator,  having  been 
deposed,  the  veteran  felt  that  he  was  himself  in  danger. 
Fleeing  to  the  sacred  tent  at  Gibeon,  and  clinging  to 
the  altar,  he  claimed  protection  from  the  holiness  of 
the  spot.  But  Solomon  would  allow  no  escape,  and 
the  man  of  many  battles,  the  pillar  of  the  state  through 
a  long  life,  but  also  a  double  murderer,  and  now,  at 
last,  a  traitor,  was  himself  murdered  in  the  very 
sanctuary  itself. 


AJTCIBKT  IlIPiLKlIEKT  OS  "HAlfGIire  U».** 


AHITHOPHEL. 


THE  only  notice  we  have  of  Ahitliopliel  occurs  in 
connection  with  the  catastrophe  in  which  David 
all  but  lost  his  kingdom  and  Absalom  lost  his  life.  The 
rebellious  son  and  his  wily  adviser  are  thus  so  linked 
together  that  they  can  be  best  studied  when  embraced 
in  one  sketch. 

Absalom's  revenge  for  his  sister  Tamar's  dishonour 
was  so  natural  an  expression  of  the  feelings  of  his 
age  and  race,  and  seemed  dictated  by  a  sentiment  so 
honourable,  however  perverted  in  its  realization,  that 
our  blame  is  tempered  with  sympathy,  even  for  an  act 
so  terrible  as  his  murder  of  Amnon.  Yet,  regarded 
more  closely,  there  was  much  to  weaken  any  such 
palliation.  Had  his  indignation  flamed  forth  at  once 
against  the  offender,  his  violence  would  have  appeared 
only  the  generous  though  cruel  outburst  of  zeal  for  his 
sister's  honour.  But  it  marks  a  cold  and  heartless 
nature,  in  which  calculation  takes  the  part  of  passion, 
that  he  waited  for  two  years,  watching  the  opportunity 
to  carry  out  his  vengeance,  and  did  so  at  last  with  every 
refinement  of  dissimulation  and  treachery^  amidst  the 
rejoicings  of  a  family  gathering.  Was  revenge  for 
Tamar    less    his   thought   than   destroying    the    heir- 


252 


AHITHOPHEL.  253 

apparent,  and  tlius  opening  the  way  to  tlie  throne  for 
himself^  tlie  second  son  ? 

Possibly  Absalom  had  reckoned  on  the  weakness  of  his 
father  overlooking  his  crime  as  he  had  that  of  Amnon, 
and  thus  he  fled  to  his  grandfather  at  Geshur  only 
when  he  saw  his  danger.  Nor  did  he  in  his  exile  show 
any  worthy  regret  and  sense  of  having  done  wrong. 
The  inevitable  results  of  polygamy  had  filled  him  with 
the  ambition  to  rise  above  the  sons  of  his  father's  other 
wives,  and  get  the  throne,  and  for  this  alone  he  seems 
to  have  sought  to  return.  To  gain  an  outward  recon- 
ciliation with  David  and  a  formal  reception  at  court, 
was  a  necessary  step  in  carrying  out  his  design,  and  to 
procure  this  he  bore  himself  with  haughty  insolence  to 
Joab,  to  force  from  him  an  unwilling  interview.  No 
trace  shows  itself  of  the  softness  or  sorrow  that  seeks 
comfort :  he  thought  only  of  ambition  and  treachery. 
He  had  woven  a  plot  with  the  deepest  subtlety,  and 
carried  it  out  step  by  step,  with  fixed,  unswerving  pur- 
pose. Unless  he  was  seen  in  the  king's  presence  the 
people  would  not  trust  him.  An  audience  granted,  all 
he  sought  was  gained.  David's  passionate  love  for  his 
children  revived  in  all  its  strength,  and  he  pressed  the 
traitor  to  his  bosom  !  All  Jerusalem  heard  of  it,  and 
suspected  no  base  design.  But  Absalom  was  now  only 
in  name  a  son  ! 

From  this  time  the  development  of  his  plans  proceeded 
openly.  The  first  step  was  an  apparently  innocent  imita- 
tion of  his  father's  state.  He  was  the  heir-apparent, 
and  it  was  only  natural  that  he  should  have  chariots 
and  horses,  and  a  long  line  of  gaily-robed,  running 
footmen,  to  precede  him  when  he  rode  abroad.^  His 
personal  beauty  was  remarkable,  and  added  to  his 
1  2  Sam  sv.  1. 


254  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 

popularity  He  was  tlie  handsomest  man  of  Ms  day 
in  the  nation :  his  hair^  especially^  flowing  in  such  rich 
luxuriance  as  made  it  proverbial,  while  his  figure  and 
features  were  perfect.^  Round  one  who  thus  looked 
every  inch  a  king,  the  sympathies  and  enthusiasm  of 
the  people  seemed  naturally  drawn,  and  it  was  easy  for 
his  arts  to  "steal  the  hearts  of  the  men  of  Israel/^ 
The  nation,  no  less  than  David,  had  yearned  for  his 
recall  from  banishment,  and  gloried  in  him  when  he 
was  once  more  in  Jerusalem. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  skilful  than  the  vain, 
ambitious,  heartless  young  man's  bearing*  towards  the 
crowd.  Affecting  easy  and  gracious  condescension,  he 
courted  all  alike.  It  was  David's  custom,  like  other 
Eastern  kings,  to  sit  each  morning  in  the  shade  of  the 
city  gate  at  Jerusalem,  or  in  that  of  the  gate  of  his 
palace,  to  judge  all  causes  brought  before  him,  but  the 
number  of  cases  would  at  times  no  doubt  cause  delay, 
even  with  the  summary  processes  of  Oriental  justice, 
and  every  decision  necessarily  left  one  side  aggrieved. 
Rising  day  by  day  with  the  daily  light,  Absalom  made 
it  his  practice  to  go  out  among  the  crowds  gathered  to 
wait  for  his  father's  appearance,  and  sedulously  court 
their  favour,  contriving  in  doing  so  to  depreciate  David 
by  crafty  insinuations  and  contrasts.  Mixing  freely 
with  all,  he  had  a  word  for  each  in  turn.  "  Of  what 
city  was  he?"  "What  matter  had  he  for  trial?'* 
Listening  to  the  story,  he  would  forthwith  declare  that 
the  right  was  clearly  on  the  speaker's  side ;  but,  "  un- 
fortunately, there  was  something  wrong.  The  king 
could  not  do  everything  himself,  and  he  had  no  deputy 
to  see  that  causes  were  swiftly  heard  and  righteously 
decided."  Then  he  would  add — "Would  that  I  were 
»  2  Sam.  xiv.  25,  26. 


AHITHOPHEL.  255 

made  judge  in  the  land  !  Would  that  men  could  come 
to  me  to  have  their  causes  tried !  I  would  soon  let 
them  have  justice  !  "  ^     It  was  literally — 

Smooth  dissimulation,  taught  to  grace 
A  devil's  purpose  with  an  a^ngel's  face. 

He  would  not  even  accept  the  customary  reverence  paid 
to  the  great_,  and  much  more  to  the  heir- apparent. 
"When  any  one^,  flattered  and  led  away  by  his  beauty 
and  fine  words^  sought  to  kneel  and  do  him  reverence,, 
he  would  not  sufi'er  it;  but  putting  out  his  hand^ 
checked  and  raised  him  up^  at  the  same  time  embracing 
him  as  an  equals  not  an  inferior^  and  kissing  him  as  a 
friend. 

Dexterous^  creeping  treason  like  this,  left  to  work  its 
way  for  four  years  after  Absalom's  return  from  Geshur/ 
had  a  wide  effect  in  a  town  like  Jerusalem,  which  every 
Israelite  had  to  visit  frequently  for  religious  objects, 
apart  from  the  ordinary  requirements  of  business  or 
•pleasure.  Nothing  would  spread  faster,  as  each  visitor 
returned  to  his  own  district,  than  the  surpassing  manly 
beauty  of  the  prince,  his  enchanting  condescension,  his 
love  of  the  people,  and  his  desire  to  make  all  men 
happy.  Any  existing  government  creates  complaint. 
We  are  never  contented  with  what  is,  but  itch  for 
change,  in  the  hope  that  it  will  remove  some  real  or 
fancied  grievance.  Reports  so  favourable  to  the  prince 
would  necessarily  throw  his  father  into  the  shade.  The 
heavy  burden  of  the  wars,  the  pressure  of  the  taxes,  the 
scandals  always  whispered  against  courts,  and  in  David's 
case,  in  some  respects,  with  only  too  much  justice,  tended 

1  2  Sam.  XV.  3,  4. 

'^  2  Sam.  XV.  7  reads  "  forty  years/'  but  it  is  an  evident  error  of 
the  text.     Josephus  has  "  four." 


256  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

alike  to  raise  the  son  and  depress  the  king.  The  leaven 
of  disaffection  had  spread  secretly  through  the  nation 
before  any  one  knew. 

But  though  long  in  preparing^  the  plot  required  swift 
execution  when  ripe.  Pretending  that  he  had  made  a 
vow  when  in  exile^  that^  if  restored  to  his  father's  grace, 
he  would  retire  to  some  quiet  place  and  offer  thanks 
to  God  by  lengthened  services,,  Absalom  got  leave  to 
withdraw  for  a  time  from  court,  and  betook  himself  to 
Hebron,  the  seat  of  the  first  happy  years  of  his  father's 
reign,  and  even  yet  the  true  centre  of  the  kingdom,  in 
the  eyes  of  the  men  of  Judah. 

The  request  sounded  so  innocent  and  religious,  that 
David's  unsuspicious  nature  was  thrown  entirely  off  its 
guard.  Two  hundred  invited  guests  of  the  chief  families 
went  with  the  prince  from  Jerusalem,  in  equal  ignorance 
of  any  ulterior  design ;  but  their  presence  lent  a  false 
colour  of  loyalty  to  the  journey,  while  it  gave  dignity  to 
the  traitor,  and  would  no  doubt  be  diligently  circulated 
as  a  proof,  that,  even  under  the  shadow  of  the  throne, 
he  had  countless  supporters.  Meanwhile,  secret  emis- 
saries were  sent  through  all  the  land  to  prepare  the 
people,  and  it  was  arranged  that  on  a  given  day 
Absalom  should  be  proclaimed  everywhere,  simul- 
taneously, as  king,  to  create  a  universal  belief  that  he 
was  peaceably  chosen  by  the  whole  nation,  as  such,  at 
Hebron. 

Among  those  thus  summoned,  one  was  of  special  im- 
portance— Ahithophel,  of  the  town  of  Gilo,  which  some 
place  among  the  hills  of  Judah,  others  south  of  Hebron. 
He  had  been  brought  into  contact  with  David,  as  the 
grandfather  of  Bathsheba,  who  was  the  daughter  of 
EHam,  or  Amiel,  his  son,  one  of  the  thirty-seven  special 
heroes  of  David's  forces, — Uriah,  her'  husband,  whom 


AHITHOPHEL.  257 

David  liad  betrayed  and  murdered  to  obtain  lier,  being 
another.^  His  shrewdness  and  ci^itj  wisdom  bad  ap- 
parently recommended  bim  to  David's  favour,  so  tbat 
be  bad  become  bis  special  adviser,  and  bad  won  bis  im- 
plicit confidence  botb  as  a  man  and  a  counsellor.  Otbers 
went  after  Absalom  in  ignorance,  but  wben  Abitbopbel 
sided  witb  bim  openly,  and  publicly  joined  bim,  it 
seemed  ominous.  Sucb  a  man  would  not  ligbtly  commit 
bimself :  tbat  must  indeed  be  likely  to  succeed,  for 
wbicb  be  was  willing  to  venture  bis  all.  But  it  was 
only  anotber  illustration  of  tbe  want  of  wisdom  even  in 
tbe  wise,  and  of  tbe  failure  of  tbe  sbrewdest  calcula- 
tion, by  overlooking  some  all-important  contingency. 

Tbe  day  at  last  came  wben  tbe  treacbery  so  long  pre- 
paring was  tborougbly  ripe.  Men  bad  previously  bad 
tbeir  appointed  stations  assigned  tbem  tbroug'b  tbe 
wbole  land,  on  every  beigbt ;  and  at  a  given  signal  from 
Hebron,  bill-top  and  tower,  from  one  end  of  tbe  country 
to  tbe  otber,  repeated  tbe  trumpet-flourisb,  wbicb  was 
tbe  customary  proclamation  of  a  new  king,  and  an- 
nounced to  all  Israel  tbat  Absalom  reigned  at  Hebron. 

David  was  utterly  disconcerted  at  tbe  wide-spread 
insurrection,  and  lost  bis  presence  of  mind  so  far  as 
to  betake  bimself  instantly  to  fligbt  across  tbe  Jordan,, 
leaving  Jerusalem  open  to  tbe  triumpbal  entry  of  bis 
son.  It  seemed  as  if  tbe  kingdom  bad  cbanged  bands 
witbout  a  struggle. 

Tbe  character  of  Absalom  sbows  itself  in  a  forbidding 
ligbt,  not  only  in  tbe  conception  of  such  a  revolt,  but  in 
all  bis  subsequent  steps.  He  bad  had  craft  and  reti- 
cence enough  to  conceal  his  purposes,  but  he  failed  in 
capacity  to  carry  them  out  Buccessfully.  Instead  of 
taking  the  lead,  he  stood  passive,  to  receive  directions 
»  2  Sara,  sxiii.  34.  39. 

s 


258  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

from  liis  advisers^  and  to  this  David  owed  his  restoration 
and  Absalom  his  ruin.  No  scruples  held  back  the  un- 
happy man  from  the  greatest  of  crime s_,  the  murder  of 
his  father.  He  was  ready  to  adopt  Ahithophers  counsel 
to  pursue  him  at  once,  and  put  him  to  death  before 
he  gathered  power  to  resist,  and  was  only  diverted  from 
it  by  the  fidelity  of  a  friend  of  David,  who,  pretending 
loyalty  to  the  revolution,  prescribed  a  course  which  was 
certain  to  undo  it.  But  he  would,  at  least,  openly 
show  that  his  father  had  ceased  to  reign.  To  take 
possession  of  the  harem  of  a  king  was  the  most  marked 
expression  of  having  supplanted  him,  and  this,  by 
Ahithophel's  advice,  Absalom  now  did. 

Meanwhile  the  crafty  plotter,  who  had  hoped  to  be 
the  chief  counsellor  of  the  new  reign,  was  overwhelmed 
with  chagrin  at  the  success  of  the  counsel  of  Hushai  and 
the  rejection  of  his  own.  It  was  clear  that  Absalom 
would  soon  be  ruined,  and  with  the  return  of  David 
nothing  could  be  expected  but  death  by  one  who  had 
played  the  part  of  an  arch-traitor.  Dishonoured  and 
virtually  disgraced  almost  before  the  new  reign  he  had 
done  so  much  to  bring  about  was  opened,  he  could  not 
bear  the  mortification,  and,  withdrawing  to  his  house  at 
Gilo,  put  an  end  to  his  life.  How  keenly  David  had  felt 
his  treachery  is  shown  in  Psalm  Iv.  12-14  : — 

"  It  was  not  an  enemy  that  reproached  me ;  then  I 
could  have  borne  it  :  neither  was  it  he  that  hated  me 
that  did  magnify  himself  against  me  ;  then  I  would  have 
hid  myself  from  him  :  but  it  was  thou,  a  man  mine 
equal,  my  guide,  and  mine  acquaintance." 

Delay  at  such  a  crisis  was  inevitably  fatal.  While 
Absalom  was  collecting  a  huge  army,  David  also  was 
recovering  himself,  and  gathered  a  strong  army  round 
him,  under  leaders  like  Joab,  accustomed  to  victory. 


AHITHOPHEL.  259 

Absalom  at  last,  however,  had  made  all  preparations, 
and  having  crossed  the  Jordan,  sought  David  in  Gilead, 
to  crush  him  in  a  decisive  battle.  But  his  force  was  no 
match  for  the  disciplined  valour  of  the  fighting  men 
under  David,  nor  was  there  any  such  passionate  loyalty 
for  him  as  for  his  father,  who  was  gently  forced  by  his 
troops  to  keep  out  of  danger,  his  single  life,  in  their 
eyes,  being  worth  more  than  the  lives  of  ten  thousand 
of  themselves. 

Utter  defeat  overtook  the  unhappy  prince,  and  nothing 
was  left  for  him  but  flight.  The  battle  took  place  in 
the  richly  wooded  valleys  of  Grilead,  and  Absalom,  on 
his  mule,  had  to  make  his  way  at  the  utmost  speed  of 
his  beast  through  the  forest.  As  he  did  so,  however,  a 
strange  fate  overtook  him.  His  elaborately-plaited  hair 
caught  in  the  fork  of  an  oak  under  which  he  was  hastily 
passing,  and  suspending  him  in  mid  air,  his  mule  ran  on 
from  under  him.  In  this  helpless  plight  he  was  found 
by  Joab,  who  had  none  of  the  weakness  of  David,  but 
determined,  in  direct  disobedience  to  the  orders  he  had 
received,  to  crush  the  rebellion  at  once  by  putting  its 
head  to  death.  Thrusting*  three  javelins  into  the 
traitor's  body,  he  left  it  hanging  in  the  tree  in  its 
shame. 

Thus  ended  a  life  that  might,  perhaps,  have  been 
very  different  but  for  the  sin  of  David  himself,  which 
had  weakened  his  moral  power,  and  given  Absalom  the 
opportunity  that  often  begets  the  offence. 


SOLOMOK 

SOLOMON,  the  third  and  last  king  of  United  Israel, 
was,  after  David  his  father,  the  greatest  of  the 
Jewish  monarchs.  His  age  seems  almost  fabulously 
distant  from  our  time,  for  he  reigned,  according  to  the 
usual  chronology,  from  B.C.  1015  to  B.C.  975  : — centuries 
before  Greece  and  Rome  had  begun  to  rank  among,  the 
nations.  Under  him  the  national  movement  which  had 
found  its  first  expression  in  the  choice  of  Saul  as  king 
by  Samuel,  reached  its  highest  point,  and  from  his  death 
it  sank  again  in  steady  decline.  The  dream  of  the 
Hebrew  race  that  to  have  kings  would  bring  blessings 
of  all  kinds,  had  proved  a  sad  illusion,  from  which 
Solomon's  reign  tended  finally  to  rouse  them. 

The  monarchy  which  David  had  created  by  so  many 
wars,  and  with  so  much  toil  and  care,  was  not  only  up- 
held by  Solomon,  but  strengthened  and  developed,  with 
high  ability  and  skill.  In  a  long  and  peaceful  reign  he 
created  memorials  of  lasting  magnificence,  in  his  temple 
and  palaces  ;  opened  new  paths  for  national  enterprise 
and  activity ;  brought  to  their  highest  glory  the  power, 
fortune,  respect,  progress,  and  prosperity  of  his  people, 
and  made  himself  a  name  which  still  survives  in  the 
mouths  of  all  civilized  races. 

Yet  his  glory,  in  the   impartial  records  of  Scripture, 

260 


SOLOMON.  261 

is  of  wholly  a  lower  type  tlian  that  of  his  father.  The 
stain  is  left  on  him  that^  in  things  of  religion_,  he  was 
not  true  to  the  end  to  himself  and  his  God^  and  he  is 
not  held  free  from  the  blame  of  having  prepared  the 
disruption  of  the  monarchy  which  followed  his  death, 
by  the  course  he  pursued,  and  the  means  he  took  to 
attain  it. 

The  son  of  Bathsheba,  born  after  the  war  with  the 
Ammonites^ — the  last  great  foreign  war  his  father  had 
to  wage, — he  received  the  name  of  Solomon — ^^The 
man  of  peace  '^ — equivalent  to  our  Frederick,  or  the 
German  Friedrich,  as  a  sign  of  David^s  yearning  for 
that  quiet  which  it  was  not  his  lot,  as  the  founder  of  a 
kingdom,  to  attain.  The  influences  about  him  in  child- 
hood and  youth  were  very  unfavourable  to  his  healthy 
'moral  growth.  He  had  no  experience  of  the  adversity 
and  trial  which  had  done  so  much  to  develop  good  in 
the  character  of  his  father;  and  David,  moreover,  had 
fallen  from  his  high  standing,  before  Solomon's  birth, 
by  his  alliance  with  Bathsheba,  and  henceforth  seems 
to  have  been  largely  passive  in  the  hands  of  others,  as 
if  the  loss  of  his  former  self-respect  had  paralysed  his 
energy  and  self-reliance.  A  mother  like  Bathsheba, 
apparently  the  willing  instrument  of  sensuality  and 
crime,  if  we  may  judge  from  her  eagerness  to  advance 
her  son,  and  her  unblushing  assumption  of  influence  and 
authority  in  the  court,  was  very  unfitted  to  train  the 
future  king.  Nor  is  it  likely  that  the  heir-apparent 
found  other  friends  more  ready  to  take  the  ungracious 
task  of  forming  his  character,  by  the  restraint  and  dis- 
cipline so  indispensable  in  early  life,  especially  in  such 
a  position. 

Endowed  with  surpassing  abilities  and  thirsting  for 
knowledge,    Solomon   was   evidently   trained   with  the 


262  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

utmost  care  in  all  tlie  "  wisdom  "  of  his  day.  Literature 
of  wliicli  we  now  know  nothing  would  be  at  his  com- 
mand, embracing  records  of  tlie  deeds  of  beroes,  as 
in  tbe  Book  of  Jasber ;  collections  of  Proverbs,  sucb 
as  be  bimself  afterwards  made ;  poems  like  bis  father's 
odes  and  lyrics ;  and,  it  may  be,  books  of  natural 
science  as  tben  understood.  He  ascended  tbe  tbrone 
amidst  tbe  enthusiastic  admiration  of  all ;  famous  for 
his  endowments,  and  no  less  so  for  bis  acquirements. 
Even  to  sucb  as  David  and  Nathan  the  prophet,  be 
seemed  qualified  beyond  all  bis  brothers,  by  mental 
gifts  and  pious  feeling,  to  be  a  true  king  of  Israel. 
Indeed,  as  a  result  of  a  supposed  attempt  on  the  part 
of  bis  half-brother  Adonijah  to  forestall  him  on  tbe 
throne,  be  was  virtually  king  while  his  father  still, 
lived,  and  with  bis  hearty  approval.  While  Adonijah, 
at  the  Spring  of  Rogel,  on  the  south  of  Jerusalem,  was 
keeping  the  feast  of  bis  fancied  accession,  Solomon,  at 
David^s  command,  was  anointed  king  at  the  Pool  of 
Gibon,  on  tbe  north  side  of  tbe  town,  and  joyfully 
accepted  by  the  people  at  large. ^  We  do  not  know  his 
age  when  this  happened.  He  was  still  young,  but  yet, 
apparently,  somewhat  over  twenty. 

He  began  his  reign  with  a  mingled  firmness  and  clem- 
ency well  fitted  to  strengthen  his  position.  To  Adonijah 
and  bis  party  he  extended  a  free  amnesty,  unwilling 
to  mark  his  accession  by  blood.  Ere  long,  however,  a 
renewed  attempt — or  what  was  regarded  as  one — on 
Adonijah's  part,  to  secure  tbe  crown,  led  to  harsher 
measures.  He  had  soug-ht  the  last  nominal  wife  of 
David  in  marriage,  a  privilege  open  only  to  David's  suc- 
cessor, and  was  at  once  put  to  death  as  a  confirmed  plotter, 
Joab,  tbe  grey-headed  commander-in-chief  in  David's 
*  1  Kings  i.  9,  39. 


SOLOMON.  263 

wars  sharing  his  fate ;  while  the  High  Priest,  Abiathar, 
the  other  leading*  conspirator_,  in  consideration  of  his 
priestly  office,  was  only  banished  to  his  country  house 
at  Anathoth.  Nor  was  Solomon  to  be  blamed  for  this 
severity.  To  take  the  life  of  his  brother  seemed  the  only 
means  of  saving  his  own,  and  a  movement  thus  crushed 
in  the  bud,  was,  in  fact,  the  security  against  a  civil 
war  which  would  have  desolated  the  land.  The  bad  sys- 
tem of  polygamy  was  the  true  source  of  the  calamity. 

From  incidental  notices  it  seemed  probable  that  the 
various  surrounding  peoples  whom  David  had  subdued, 
did  not  submit  to  Solomon  without  at  least  one  attempt 
to  regain  their  independence.  In  any  case  they  were 
speedily  conquered,  and  the  young  king  found  himself 
acknowledged  from  Thapsacus  on  the  Euphrates  to 
Gaza  in  the  Philistine  plain,  on  the  Mediterranean,  and 
from  Hamath  in  the  valleys  of  Lebanon  to  the  bound- 
aries of  Egypt  and  the  head  of  the  Red  Sea.  He  was 
the  first  and  also  the  last  King  of  Israel  who  took  his 
place  among  the  great  powers  of  the  world — able  to 
maintain  wars  or  make  treaties  with  them  on  the  footing 
of  an  equal.  The  Phoenicians  alone,  in  Palestine,  re- 
tained their  independence,  and  with  them  Solomon  pro- 
moted still  more  the  free  commercial  intercourse  which 
his  father  had  maintained ;  while,  in  order  to  protect 
himself  on  his  southern  borders,  he  married  a  daughter 
of  the  King  of  Egypt,^  and  made  a  close  alliance  with 
that  country. 

^  In  1  Chron.  iv.  18,  vre  read  of  one  of  the  Pharaohs  who 
allowed  his  daughter  to  marry  a  Jewish  chief.  The  fact  is,  the 
power  of  Egy]3t  was  much  broken  by  internal  divisions.  Shishak, 
the  Pharaoh  who  attacked  Rehoboam,  was  the  descendant  of  a 
Syrian,  and  finally  displaced  the  Egyptian  Pharaoh,  into  whose 
family  he   had  caused   his   son  to  marry.     The  capital  was  at 


264  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTfiRS. 

Satisfied  witli  tlie  extent  of  his  kingdom^  and  at  ease 
as  to  its  security^  Solomon^  from  the  first,  clearly  saw 
that  the  highest  aim  of  the  ruler  of  a  theocracy  was  to 
promote  the  religious_,  moral,  and  social  welfare  of  his 
people.  Hence,  as  much  by  disposition  as  by  training, 
he  sought  rather  the  peaceful  growth  of  his  empire  in 
these  higher  aspects  than  any  fame  as  a  conqueror. 
His  reign,  which  lasted  forty  years,  was  thus  a  time  of 
happy  exemption  from  foreign  or  domestic  strife,  and 
every  one  could  dwell  in  peace  under  his  own  vine  and 
fig-tree,  no  one  making  him  afraid.  But  it  was  also  a 
time  of  earnest,  peaceful  activity  in  varied  spheres,  and, 
indeed,  in  every  way  remained  unique  in  the  history  of 
Israel. 

The  expectations  from  the  new  reign  cannot  be  better 
realized  than  by  turning  to  the  seventy-second  Psalm, 
which  bears  the  title  of  "  A  Psalm  for  Solomon,"  and 
is  doubtless  the  magnificent  invocation  of  blessing  on 
his  son,  by  his  now  aged  father.  It  had,  of  course, 
a  higher  secondary  bearing  on  One  far  greater — the 
true  Messiah  of  a  still  distant  future  ;  but  its  aspirations 
and  grand  images  of  peace,  prosperity,  and  glory  were 
primarily  the  fond  anticipations  of  a  parent's  heart, 
that  what  he  would  fain  have  seen  in  his  own  day 
might  at  least  come  in  those  of  ^'  The  man  of  peace.'^ 
Nor  is  it  without  a  deep  touch  of  pathos  that  the  lofty 
hopes   and  fond  belief  close  with  the   declaration  that 

Tanis,  or  Zoan,  in  the  Delta,  and  the  royal  territory  did  not 
embrace  more  than  a  small  part  of  the  comitry.  Foreign  tastes 
had  long  shown  the  decay  of  the  monarchy.  Sylvian  dialects  were 
widely  in  favour,  old  Egyptian  words  in  many  cases  giving  way  to 
them.  The  state  of  things  was  very  much  like  the  condition  of 
England,  while  French  manners  were  the  fashion,  under  Edward 
the  Confessor.     See  Maspero,  Hist,  Anciemie,  p.  337. 


SOLOMON.  265 

^^the   prayers   of  David,   the  son  of  Jesse,   are  now 
ended." 

Tliese  bright  expectations  were  destined  to  be  more 
than  fulfilled  in  some  respects,  but  to  be  bitterly  dis- 
appointed in  others.  With  all  his  thirst  for  knowledge 
and  his  high  judicial  faculty,  Solomon,  like  most  men 
trained  in  unlimited  self-indulgence,  developed  a  mind 
essentially  selfish  and  morally  unsound.  His  people 
took  only  a  subordinate  place  in  his  regard.  As  far 
as  his  circumstances  allowed,  he  grew  before  long  into 
a  full-blown  despot,  whose  gratification  and  glory  was 
the  one  end  of  government.  David  had  been  weak 
enough  to  imitate  the  sensual  splendour  of  the  kings 
around  him,  by  founding  a  harem — that  fertile  source  of 
extravagant  expense,  and  of  still  more  fatal  strife,  in 
Eastern  monarchies.  But  Solomon,  with  a  sensuality 
perhaps  unequalled  before  or  since,  fancied  he  could 
show  his  greatness  in  few  ways  better  than  by  gather- 
ing a  mob  of  queens  and  concubines,  to  the  number  of 
a  thousand.  Like  many  other  Eastern  kings,  also,  he 
indulged  to  the  utmost  a  taste  for  architectual  mag- 
nificence. Not  only  did  he  raise,  at  vast  cost,  a  temple 
of  surpassing  splendour  for  that  day ;  he  added  palaces 
for  himself  and  his  harem  and  courtiers,  with  utter 
disregard  of  expense,  in  Jerusalem,  and  different  parts 
of  the  country,  and,  also,  other  structures  for  use  or 
show.  His  every  fancy  must  be  gratified.  Useful,  or 
merely  beautiful ;  necessary,  or  only  for  indulgence,  all 
must  be  had  that  he  desired.  Conduits  and  pools ;  vine- 
yards, and  gardens  with  many  es^otic  plants ;  parks  and 
groves ;  castles'  and  towers,  besides  his  many  palaces, 
must  proclaim  his  greatness.  Boundless  wealth  must 
be  lavished  on  his  court,  his  harem,  his  stables,  and  his 
state.     Pomp  and  splendour  unequalled  in  the  history 


266         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

of  his  nation,  and  rivalling  tliat  of  tlie  great  monarchies 
of  Egypt  or  Assyria,  must  carry  his  fame  to  all  parts  of 
the  earth. 

The  morality  of  the  nation  could  not  be  unaffected 
by  such  a  regime,  for  the  masses  take  their  tone  from  the 
court.  Luxury  and  extravagance  were  a  poor  substitute 
for  the  old  simplicity  of  a  pastoral  and  agricultural 
population ;  and,  even  where  they  could  not  be  indulged, 
must  have  deepened  the  contrast  between  the  past  and 
the  present.  Nor  could  Solomon  and  the  great  ones  of 
the  land  have  such  splendour,  without  suffering  on  the 
part  of  the  masses.  No  sooner  was  he  gone  than  the 
intolerable  taxes  he  had  levied  on  labour  and  substance 
became  the  subject  of  complaint,  and  it  was  for  refusing 
reform  in  this  that  Rehoboam  lost  the  ten  tribes. 

A  gorgeous  ritual  service  was  introduced,  and  the 
Temple  sacrifices  attracted  vast  multitudes,  but  it  is  a 
question  whether  an  outward  and  ceremonial  religion, 
joined  with  the  immorality  of  the  prevailing  life  of  the 
day,  did  not  deaden  the  spiritual  earnestness  roused  by 
Samuel,  and  maintained  to  some  extent  through  the 
reign  of  David. 

Nor  was  the  monopoly  of  commerce  in  which  Solomon 
indulged  fitted  to  benefit  the  nation.  Foreign  luxuries, 
imported  by  a  royal  trader,  might  fill  his  coffers  and 
bring  money  into  circulation,  but  the  gain  would  be 
largely  his,  while  the  moral  deterioration  would  rest  on 
the  whole  community.  Add  to  all,  the  influence  of  an 
unlimited  sensuality,  so  openly  shown  in  the  very  high- 
est circle  by  the  maintenance  of  a  harem  on  such  a  vast 
scale,  and  we  may  judge  the  effects  of  Solomon^s  reign 
on  the  highest  interests  of  Israel.  The  close  of  his  life, 
indeed,  seems  an  illustration  of  the  results  of  his  reign. 
That   he,  the  wise,  the   learned,  the  magnificent,  the 


SOLOMON. 


267 


builder  of  the  Temple,  tlie  great  patron  of  the  priests 
of  Jeliovali,  should  fall  away  to  worship  the  idols  of  the 
heathen/  reveals  a  hollow  unreality  and  insincerity  in 
public  opinion,  of  which  it  was,  no  doubt,  largely  an 
expression. 

"Wise,  Solomon  doubtless  was ;  but  to  me  he  seems  to 
have  been  so  only  in  a  very  limited  sense,  for  that  is 
surely  far  from  true  wisdom  which  aggrandises  the 
throne  at  the  cost  of  the  nation,  and,  after  creating  an 
ephemeral  and  artificial  glory,  leaves  to  the  next  heir 
only  the  wreck  of  a  miserable  and  exploded  failure. 

^  1  Kings  xi.  4. 


SoLosioir's  Pools. 


THE   QUEEN  OF   SHEBA. 

THE  visit  of  the  Queen  of  Slieba  to  Solomon  is  not 
only  noticed  in  tlie  Scriptures^  but  lias  been  tlie 
occasion  of  endless  legends  alike  in  Eabbinical  and 
Mahommedan  literature.  Her  country  seems  to  have 
been  a  province  of  Southern  Arabia ;  apparently  the 
same  as  that  known  to  the  Romans  as  the  land  of  the 
Sabaeans.  The  national  name  was  derived  from  a  grand- 
son of  Abraham  and  Keturah/  and  thus  the  bond  of 
common  descent  linked  the  race  with  the  Hebrews.' 
That  the  queen  of  a  people  connected^  at  least  remotely, 
with  Israel,  should  have  been  interested  in  one  so  ex- 
ceptionally famous  as  Solomon,  is  thus  readily  explained. 
Sheba  was  famous  among  the  ancients  as  one  of  the 
richest  of  countries,  though  how  far  exaggeration  aided 
this  estimate  is  hard  to  tell.  Its  exports  were  incense, 
balsam,  myrrh,  spices,  precious  stones,  and  gold ;  ^  but 
there  does  not  seem  to  be  at  this  day  any  region  of 
extraordinary  fertility  or  wealth  in  Arabia  Felix,  so  far 
as  travellers  have  discovered.  Legend  has  embellished 
the  whole  land  with  the  most  extravagant  praises. 
Saba  was  the  largest  and  finest  city,  it  asserts,  ever 
built  by  man ;  and  it  was  so  strongly  fortified  that  it 
might  have  defied  all  the  armies  of  the  world  at  once. 
>  Gen.  XXV.  3.  2  j]zek.  xxvii.  22. 

2C8 


THE   QUEEN   OF   SHEBA.  269 

Its  palaces  of  marble  were  countless,  and  tliey  stood 
in  tlie  midst  of  magnificent  gardens.  A  vast  system  of 
dykes  and  canals  for  irrigation  secured  the  fertility  of 
tlie  whole  country,  even  in  times  of  drought.  It  was, 
moreover,  covered  with  the  finest  trees  in  every  direc- 
tion, so  that  travellers  knew  nothing  of  the  scorching 
rays  of  the  sun.  Its  air  was  alleged  to  be  so  pure  and 
refreshing,  and  its  ^y  so  transparent,  that  the  inhabit- 
ants lived  to  a  very  great  age,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
perfect  health. 

The  exaggeration  so  natural  to  the  East  had,  doubt- 
less, carried  as  many  reports  respecting  Solomon  to 
Slieba,  through  rumour,  from  land  to  land,  as  had 
spread  to  Judgea  and  elsewhere  respecting  Sheba  itself. 
Josephus,  in  the  generation  after  Christ,  with  all  his 
Greek  culture,  had  ideas  of  the  '^  glory  of  Solomon " 
which  seem  wild  enough  : — "^  He  was  no  way  inferior 
to  the  Egyptians,  who  are  said  to  have  been  beyond  all 
men  in  understanding.  He  also  excelled  and  distin- 
guished himself  in  wisdom  above  the  most  eminent 
Hebrews  of  his  day.  He  composed  books  of  odes  and 
songs,  a  thousand  and  five;  of  parables  and  proverbs  three 
thousand — for  he  spoke  a  parable  on  every  sort  of  tree, 
from  the  hyssop  to  the  cedar;  and,  in  like  manner  also, 
about  beasts ;  about  all  sorts  of  living  creatures,  whether 
on  the  earth,  or  in  the  seas,  or  in  the  air.  For  he  knew 
them  all,  and  described  them.  God  also  enabled  him 
to  learn  that  skill  which  expels  demons.  He  composed 
spells  by  which  diseases  are  removed,  and  he  left  behind 
him  exorcisms  by  which  devils  may  not  only  be  driven 
out,  but  can  never  return."  ^  The  Rabbis,  indeed,  went 
further,  as  may  be  judged  from  one  sample  of  the  stories 
in  the  Talmud  : — ^^  After  David,  rose  up  his  son  Solomon, 
*  Antiq.,  vii.  2, 


•270  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

and  tlie  Ever  Blessed  gave  him  dominion  over  tlie  wild 
beasts,  and  over  tlie  birds  of  heaven,  and  over  the  creep- 
ing beasts  of  the  earth,  and  over  all  devils  or  spirits  of 
darkness,  and  he  understood  the  languages  of  them  all, 
and  they  understood  him.  .  .  .  When  now  the  heart 
of  King  Solomon  was  once  light  with  wine,  he  sent  forth 
and  invited  all  the  kings  of  the  east  and  west,  who  lived 
near  the  land  of  Israel,  to  come  and  visit  him  in  his 
royal  palace.  And  when  he  was  another  time  cheered 
with  wine,  he  commanded  that  the  lutes,  cymbals,  and 
drums,  and  harps  on  which  his  father  David  played, 
should  be  brought  in.  A  third  time  he  ordered  that 
all  the  wild  beasts,  and  the  birds  of  heaven,  and  the 
creeping  things  of  the  earth,  and  also  the  devils,  and 
the  spirits  of  darkness,  should  be  gathered,  that  they 
might  dance  before  him,  and  that  they  might  see  all 
his  glory,  and  all  the  kings  who  were  around  him.  And 
the  Scribes  called  them  by  their  names,  and  they  all 
came  and  gathered  themselves  to  him."  But  this  is 
enough  of  such  monstrous  inventions. 

The  commerce  so  widely  extended  by  Solomon  carried 
his  name  to  distant  countries,  and,  amongst  others,  to 
Sheba,  where  it  reached  the  ears  of  the  reigning  queen. 
Of  the  age  or  condition  of  this  royal  lady,  whether 
married  or  unmarried,  nothing  is  told.  In  any  case, 
the  reports  she  heard  of  the  Jewish  monarch  captivated 
her  imagination,  and  she  resolved  on  a  journey  to 
Jerusalem  to  see  him.  Setting  out  by  land,  with  a 
great  retinue  and  a  long  train  of  camels  laden  with 
spices,  and  gold,  and  precious  stones,  as  presents  to 
Solomon,  after  the  manner  of  Eastern  princes,  her  com- 
ing naturally  excited  the  greatest  intereiit.  She  had 
heard  much  of  his  surpassing  wisdom,  and  proposed  to 
put  it  to  the  test,  in  Oriental  fashion,  by  asking  him  the 


THE   QUEEN   OF   SHEBA.  271 

hardest  riddles  and  questions  invented  for  her  for  the 
occasion. 

What  these  were  is  not  told  in  Scripture,  but  legend 
has  given  its  own  version  of  some  of  them.  Balkis — for 
that  is  said  to  have  been  the  queen's  name — was  beauti- 
ful as  an  angel  of  Paradise,  and  very  young,  and  when 
she  had  determined  to  try  Solomon,  did  so  by  sending, 
before  her  own  setting  out,  an  embassy  of  five  hundred 
youths  dressed  like  maidens,  and  as  many  maidens 
dressed  like  young  men,  commanding  the  former  to 
behave  in  the  presence  of  Solomon  like  girls  and  the 
latter  like  youths.  She  sent  also,  as  a  gift,  a  thousand 
carpets  wrought  with  gold  and  silver,  a  crown  of  the 
finest  pearls  and  hyacinths,  and  many  loads  of  musk, 
amber,  aloes,  and  other  products  of  her  country.  To 
these  she  added  a  closed  casquet  containing  an  unper- 
forated  pearl,  a  diamond  intricately  pierced,  and  a 
goblet  of  crystal.  He  was  to  distinguish  the  youths 
from  the  maidens,  to  tell  the  contents  of  the  closed 
casquet,  to  perforate  the  pearl,  to  thread  the  diamond, 
and  to  fill  the  goblet  with  water  that  had  neither  fallen 
from  the  clouds  nor  flowed  from  the  earth. 

Solomon  discovered  the  contents  of  the  casquet  by 
the  help  of  spirits  ;  found  out  the  sex  of  the  male  and 
female  slaves  by  the  different  way  in  which  the  two 
sexes  used  the  water  given  them  to  wash  themselves ; 
pierced  the  pearl  by  the  help  of  a  magic  stone  given 
him  by  an  evil  spirit  and  an  inspired  raven;  and 
threaded  the  diamond,  which  had  openings  through  it 
in  all  directions,  by  the  help  of  a  worm,  brought  him  by 
a  demon.  It  crept  through  each  hole  in  the  jewel, 
and  left  a  silk  thread  behind  it.  Solomon  gave  it  the 
mulberry  tree  as  its  special  food,  at  its  request,  and 
thus  the  silkworm  has  lived  in  the  mulberry  leaf  ever 


272  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

since  !  The  goblet  lie  filled  witL.  water  from  neitlier 
the  clouds  nor  the  earth_,  by  making  a  slave  run  till  his 
perspiration  was  so  copious  as  to  brim  it  over. 

The  sober  account  of  Scripture  limits  details  to  a 
statement  of  her  admiration  of  the  state  and  pomp  of 
the  Jewish  king,  of  which  we  are  able  from  other 
notices  to  fill  up  some  parts  of  the  outline. 

The  Temple  had  doubtless  been  built  when  the  visit 
was  made ;  but  its  size,  however  imposing  in  the  eyes  of 
dntiquity,  would  have  disappointed  modern  ideas.  Like 
the  Grecian  sanctuaries,  which  were  intended  simply  for 
the  priests,  the  people  worshipping  outside  in  the  open 
air,  that  of  Solomon  was  very  small.  It  seems  to  have 
been  only  90  feet  long,  30  broad,  and  45  high ;  that  is, 
smaller  than  many  moderate-sized  parish  churches  in 
England.  The  great  Royal  Palace  appears  to  have  been 
much  larger,  for  it  took  thirteen  years  to  build,  whereas 
the  Temple  took  only  seven.  The  number  of  the  cedar 
pillars  in  it  procured  it  the  name  of  the  House  of  the 
Forest.  Indeed,  both  it  and  the  Temple  abounded  in 
rare  and  costly  wood,  and  the  details  in  both  displayed 
a  lavish  outlay. 

But  it  was  the  pomp  and  state  of  the  court  which 
especially  roused  the  wonder  of  the  visitor.  The  Tem- 
ple, the  palaces,  and  the  covered  way  from  one  of  the 
latter  to  the  sanctuary,  were  grand  in  her  eyes,  but  she 
was  even  more  struck  by  the  rich  profusion  of  the  royal 
tables,  the  vast  numbers  who  sat  down  at  them,  the 
splendour  of  the  ofiicials  who  waited  on  Solomon,  the 
imposing  appearance  of  the  cupbearers,  and  the  vast 
wealth  which  such  majesty  implied.  The  throne  itself 
must  have  struck  her,  for  it  was  of  ivory  overlaid  with 
pure  gold,  and  two  hundred  targets  of  beaten  gold  hang 
on  the  walls  of  the  banqueting  chamber.     Gold,  indeed^ 


THE   QUEEN   OF   SHEBA.  273 

shone  on  every  sicle^  for  all  tlie  drinking  vessels  of 
tlie  king  were  golden_,  and  so  were  all  the  vessels  of  the 
House  of  the  Forest. 

No  doubtj  also,  the  royal  stables  were  a  wonder  to  the 
Arabian  queen.  There  were  cities  especially  set  apart 
as  the  head-quarters  of  the  cavalry,  for  Solomon  had 
sixteen  hundred  chariots  and  twelve  thousand  horse- 
soldiers.  Jerusalem,  as  the  capital,  would  of  course 
have  its  full  share. 

The  commerce  which  enabled  Solomon  to  indulge  his 
tastes  thus  imperially  was  itself  one  of  the  wonders  of 
the  age.  As  a  monopolist,  he  could  do  as  he  pleased. 
Hired  vessels  sailed  from  the  head  of  the  Red  Sea  to 
Opliir,  which  has  been  variously  sought  for  in  Arabia, 
India,  Ceylon,  Africa,  and  even  Peru.  Other  vessels 
traded  between  Joppa  and  Tarshish,  which  appears  to 
have  been  at  the  mouth  of  the  Guadalquivir,  in  Spain, 
and  brought  back  gold  and  silver,  ivory,  apes,  and 
peacocks,  some  of  which,  doubtless,  were  the  fruits  of 
a  further  commerce  between  Tarshish  and  Africa.  It 
is  curious  to  note  that  the  voyage  along  the  Mediter- 
ranean and  back,  in  these  early  ages,  took  no  less  than 
three  years. 

The  Arabian  queen  might  well  have  wondered  at 
such  splendour  and  commercial  activity.  How  far  her 
intimacy  with  Solomon  went  is  not  hinted  in  Scripture, 
but  tradition  has  ventured  to  report  that  she  bore  a  son 
of  whom  the  king  was  the  father,  and  the  AbyssiAians 
even  boast  that  their  royal  line  is  descended  from  him. 
We  are  only  told  in  the  Bible  that  she  and  Solomon 
exchanged  gifts  with  lavish  freedom,  and  that  she  then 
returned  to  her  own  country. 

This  visit  must  have  taken  place  before  the  fatal 
lapse  of  the  wise  man  into  idolatry,  in  his  last  years. 

T 


274 


OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


tlie 
wliicli 
neatli 
tering 


Apes,  from  at;  Asstbiah  Tablbt. 


Nor  would  tlie 
visitor^  per- 
haps, hear  of 
tyranny- 
lay  be- 
so  glit 
a  sur- 
face ;  if,  in- 
dee  d,  she 
would  have 
thought  much 
of  it,  even  had 
it  been  told 
her.  But  it 
detracts  not  a 
little  from  the 
glory  of  the 
Temple,  in 
modern  eyes, 
to  know  that 
its  materials' 
had  been  pre- 
p  ar  e  d  by 
seventy  thou- 
sand slaves, 
told  off  to  bear 
loads,  and 
eighty  thou- 
sand employed 
in  felling  and 
squaring  the 
necessary  tim- 
be  r  in  the 
mountains,  and 


THE   QUEEN   OF   SHEBA.  275 

that  the  whole  nation  groaned  under  the  forced  labour 
and  taxes  of  which  the  magnificence  so  admired  by  the 
Arabian  visitor  was  in  part  the  result. 

Nor  would  she  understand  the  corruption  which  was 
being  brought  into  the  land  by  the  extent  and  character 
of  the  royal  harem.  To  marry  foreign  wives,  or  to 
have  a  huge  seraglio,  was  a  violation  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  and  no  one  can  tell  how  far  the  national  decline, 
which  dates  from  Solomon^s  reign,  was  caused  by  the 
introduction  of  foreign  heathenism  and  morals,  through 
the  great  king's  example. 

To  us  the  reign  of  Solomon  appears  a  striking  illus- 
tration of  the  failings  of  the  ablest  men,  when  true 
religious  principle  does  not  counteract  selfishness. 
Solomon,  with  such  abilities,  might  have  built  up  the 
nation  in  the  noblest  sense,  in  true  prosperity  and 
religious  purity.  He  chose,  rather,  to  set  his  heart  on 
creating  a  false  and  dazzling  glory  for  himself,  and 
treated  the  nation  as  made  for  him,  rather  than  the 
object  of  his  care. 


EEHOBOAM. 

THE  almost  inevitable  results  of  the  harslL  and  im- 
moral reign  of  Solomon — witli  its  selfisli  aggran- 
disement of  tlie  throne  and  its  oppression  of  the  people ; 
its  instability  of  principle,  which  supported  idolatry 
after  building  the  Temple  of  Jehovah ;  and  its  sen- 
suality, which  gathered  a  harem  of  unprecedented  extent 
— showed  themselves  in  the  character  and  fate  of  his 
son  and  successor,  Rehoboam.  It  is  impossible  to  with- 
hold pity  from  one  warped  and  corrupted  by  such  evil 
influences  in  his  education  and  earlier  life. 

Rehoboam  was  the  son  of  an  idolatress,  Naamah — 
^'  The  loved  one," — a  daughter  of  Hanun,  the  king  of 
the  Ammonites,^  who  had  been  conquered  by  David, 
but  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  his  grandson,  by  this 
marriage,  on  the  throne  of  the  king^dom  that  had  de- 
stroyed his  own.  Rehoboam's  bearing  towards  religion 
was  exactly  what  might  have  been  expected  from  such 
a  parentage.  Like  his  father,  he  maintained  the 
worship  of  Jehovah,  with  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  as 
its  head-quarters  and  centre;  but  like  the  son  of  an 
idolatrous  mother,  he  built  high  places  for  sacrifice  on 
the  hills^  and  raised  idol  statues  of  Baalj  and  the  huge 

*  Septuagint. 

276 


BEHOBOAM.  277 

wooden  pillars  known  as  Aslierahs^  consecrated,  ap- 
parently _,  to  the  moon.  Nor  was  the  worship  a  mero 
outward  difference  from  that  of  Jehovah.  All  the 
abominations  associated  with  Syrian  idolatry  were  freely 
sanctioned — abominations  so  foul,  that  in  later  centuries 
they  were  blamed  for  the  deeper  corruption  of  even 
the  foul  immorality  of  Eome.  The  puritan  zeal  and 
earnestness  of  the  great  reformation  under  Samuel  had 
at  last  died  out  under  Solomon  and  his  weak  unworthy 
son.  It  was  an  anticipation  of  the  license  of  our  own 
Restoration  times_,  after  the  strictness  of  the  days  of 
Cromwell. 

The  boundless  expenses  of  the  court  during  the 
preceding  reign  had  already  excited  an  abortive  in- 
surrection in  Solomon's  lifetime,  under  the  leadership 
of  Jeroboam,  the  chief  collector  of  the  taxes  and  im- 
posts in  kind,  from  the  central  and  northern  tribes. 
Energetic,  ambitious,  unscrupulous,  and  perhaps,  also, 
patriotic,  he  had  used  his  possession  of  the  public 
moneys  to  build  a  strong  citadel  in  the  centre  of  the 
land.  It  seems,  indeed,  as  if  he  had  outwitted  Solomon, 
and  induced  him  to  sanction  this  under  the  pretext 
that  force  was  needed  to  overawe  the  disaffected  pop- 
ulation. The  ruins  of  a  fortress,  with  walls  nine  feet 
thick,  are  still  found  on  Mount  Gerizim,  and  seem  to 
be  those  of  Jeroboam's  stronghold.  Here  he  summoned 
Israel  round  him  to  demand  a  reduction  of  fiscal  and 
other  burdens  from  Solomon,  threatening  revolution  if 
it  were  not  granted.^  But  the  vigorous  action  of  the 
king  for  the  time  suppressed  the  threatened  danger, 
and  Jeroboam  had  to  flee  for  his  life  to  Egypt.  There, 
however,  in  spite  of  Solomon's  marriage  alliance  with 
that  country,  he  found  a  friendly  welcome  at  the  court 
^  Septuagint. 


278  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

of  Sliishak,  or  Slieslionk,  tlie  Egyptian  king,  wlio  was, 
apparently,  glad  to  use  him  as  a  possible  means  of 
weakening  the  Jewish  kingdom,  which  threatened  to 
grow  too  powerful.  Not  only  was  he  entertained  with 
all  munificence  as  long  as  Solomon  lived,  but  the  elder 
daughter  of  the  favourite  sultana — a  woman  of  great 
influence  in  Egypt — was  given  him  as  his  wife. 

The  impulse  that  led  Jeroboam  to  his  determined 
disaffection  throws  a  strange  light  on  the  peculiar 
constitution  of  Hebrew  society.  He  had,  on  one 
occasion,  been  at  Jerusalem,  perhaps  with  the  taxes  of 
the  Ten  Tribes,  of  which  he  was  chief  collector,  and 
was  returning,  when  a  prophet — Ahijah,  of  Shiloh — 
met  him.  Jeroboam,  as  became  him  on  a  visit  to  court, 
wore  a  new  outer  robe,  but  this  Ahijah  caught,  and 
at  once  rent  into  twelve  pieces.  The  two  were  alone 
on  the  road,  and  the  prophet,  thus  safe,  proceeded  to 
explain  his  strange  conduct.  Keeping  two  pieces  for 
himself,  he  gave  ten  to  Jeroboam,  and  told  him  that 
God  commissioned  him  to  say,  that  He  would  rend  the 
kingdom  out  of  the  hand  of  Solomon  and  take  from  him 
ten  tribes,  over  which  he,  Jeroboam,  should  rule.  For 
the  sake  of  David  and  of  Jerusalem,  two  tribes  were 
to  be  left  to  the  line  of  Solomon;  and,  besides,  the 
catastrophe  would  not  hap23en  in  his  day,  but  in  that 
of  his  son.  The  idolatry  which  the  wise  king  had 
introduced  had  brought  down  on  him  this  judgment, 
for  Jerusalem  and  the  fields  and  cities  of  the  land  were 
filled  with  the  altars  and  statues  of  Ashtoreth,  the 
goddess  of  the  heathen  Canaanites  of  Sidon ;  Chemosh, 
the  god  of  the  subject  Moabites,  and  Milcom,  that  of 
the  conquered  Ammonites.  Roused  by  such  a  Divine 
admonition,  Jeroboam  inevitably  became  a  conspirator. 
The  land  belonged  to    Jehovah,  and  He  could  justly 


REHOBOAM.  279 

give  tlie  crown  to  whom  He  chose ;  Solomon  had 
broken  the  conditions  on  which  alone  he  held  it,  and 
to  dethrone  him,  or  at  least  his  son,  was  to  unseat  one 
already  denounced  by  the  true  invisible  King  in  heaven. 
It  is  no  wonder  we  read  that  Solomon  sought  to  kill 
Jeroboam.^ 

His  royal  marriage  had  been  only  a  political  stroke, 
and  had  in  no  degree  secured  friendly  relations  between 
Jerusalem  and  Egypt.  Hadad,  the  king  of  Edom,  had 
fled  thither  in  David's  time,  and  had  been  entertained 
at  court.  In  Solomon's  day  he  was  allowed  to  return 
to  his  own  country,  which  he  seems  to  have  recon- 
quered from  Israel.  In  the  same  way  Jeroboam  found 
a  welcome  in  the  Egyptian  palace,  and  was  protected 
there  while  Solomon  lived,  much  as  the  Stuarts  and 
their  partizans  found  a  home  in  France  under  Louis 
XIV. 

With  Solomon's  death,  Jeroboam's  hopes  revived. 
The  fulfilment  of  the  destiny  foretold  by  the  prophet 
had  apparently  approached.  The  conspirator,  there- 
fore, instantly  set  out  for  his  own  country,  and  having 
gathered  sufficient  force,  la^id  siege  to  the  fortress  he 
had  built  on  Gerizim.  Having  won  it,  and  thus  secured 
a  footing  in  the  country,  he  assembled  the  Ten  Tribes, 
to  impose  conditions  on  Rehoboam  before  his  formal 
acceptance  as  king.  A  great  national  assembly  was 
held  in  the  midst  of  the  land,  at  Shechem, — now  Nablus, 
— and  thither  Rehoboam  went  to  meet  his  subjects, 
and,  as  he  thought,  to  receive  their  allegiance.  Em- 
boldened by  popular  support,  Jeroboam  came  forward 
as  the  spokesman  of  the  multitude,  and  at  once  showed 
the  king,  had  he  possessed  judgment  to  perceive  it, 
that  nothing  short  of  thorough  reform  in  the  general 
1  1  Kings  xi.  28-40. 


280  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

taxation_,  and  in  tlie  imposts  for  the  royal  expenditure, 
could  save  his  kingdom. 

The  tone  of  Jeroboam  was  that  of  the  mouthpiece  of 
a  nation  proud  of  its  freedom_,  and  determined^  if  needs 
were,  to  maintain  it.  They  were  ready,  they  said,  to 
accept  Eehoboam  and  serve  him,  but  it  would  only  be 
on  condition  that  he  lightened  the  burdens  under  which 
they  had  groaned  during  the  reign  of  his  father.  The 
jealousy  of  Ephraim  at  Judah  having  rule,  doubtless 
added  to  the  bitter  sternness  of  the  demand,  which, 
however,  was  so  clearly  just,  that  a  man  of  sense  would 
have  granted  it  at  once. 

But  Rehoboam  was  in  no  humour  to  retrench  his 
state  and  indulgence,  and  could  only  answer,  that  he 
would  take  three  days  to  consider  the  matter,  and  then 
report  to  them.  Meanwhile,  he  sought  the  advice  of 
the  old  counsellors  of  his  father,  men  of  experience  and 
capacity,  and  they  urged  ready  compliance;  telling 
him  shrewdly,  that  cozicession  at  the  moment  would 
secure  permanent  allegiance. 

The  headstrong  king  would  not,  however,  humble 
himself,  and  tuflmed  with  ill-concealed  disgust  to  the 
flock  of  parasites  of  his  own  age,  who  hoped  to  use 
him  for  their  personal  good,  by  servile  flattery.  They 
scouted  submission,  and  trusted  to  win  his  permanent 
favour,  by  urging  him  to  give  a  rough  answer,  and 
fiercely  compel  obedience  to  his  will.  It  was  enough. 
Israel  as  a  whole  had  yielded  to  David  only  after 
a  resistance  of  years.  During  Solomon's  days  it  had 
well  nigh  thrown  off  the  yoke,  and  it  determined  to 
do  so  now.  The  words  of  Eehoboam  were,  indeed, 
enough  to  provoke  a  tamer  people  to  anger.  Address- 
ing the  vast  crowd,  through  Jeroboam,  the  king  told 
them  that  his  father  had  made  their  yoke  heavy,  but 


EEHOBOAM.  281 

he  would  make  it  heavier  still :  his  father  had  scourged 
them  with  whips,  but  he  would  use  a  lash  with  iron 
points  that  would  sting  them  like  scorpions. 

The  result  was  no  longer  doubtful.  Instantly  the 
cry  rose,  What  had  the  mighty  Ephraim  to  do  with  the 
feeble  South  ?  Why  should  it  submit  to  the  house  of 
David,  the  son  of  Jesse,  a  man  of  Judah  ?  Israel  had 
always  been  its  own  master,  and  would  be  so  once  more. 
"  To  your  tents,  0  Israel !  Take  care  of  your  own 
house,  0  David  !  "  The  old  tribal  jealousies,  intensified 
by  a  sense  of  wrong,  had  in  an  hour  shattered  to  pieces 
the  kingdom  built  up  with  so  much  labour  by  David 
and  Solomon.  Jeroboam  had  served  Egypt  only  too 
well.  Henceforth  there  was  no  fear  of  rivalry  from 
the  now  ruined  throne  of  Jerusalem.  Jewish  history 
was  hereafter  to  be  that  of  a  steadily  declining  mon- 
archy. 

The  petty  kingdom  left  to  Rehoboam  included  the 
barren  hills  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  the  remnant  of  the 
tribe  of  Simeon  on  the  south,  and  the  Israelitish  settlers 
in  these  limits.  He  had  thrown  away  the  fertile  hills 
and  valleys  of  Samaria  and  Galilee,  and  the  rich  lands 
across  the  Jordan.  The  glory  of  the  throne  was  gone  ! 
If  the  line  of  David  did  not  henceforward  seek  honour 
as  the  centre  of  the  theocracy,  and  the  special  instru- 
ment for  the  maintenance  of  the  worship  of  Jehovah, 
it  could  hope  for  no  other.  Its  worldly  grandeur  had 
for  ever  departed. 

The  shock  to  Rehoboam  must  have  been  terrible ;  but 
he  could  not  realize  the  extent  of  his  calamity  till,  on 
sending  his  chief  officer  of  the  taxes  to  collect  the 
accustomed  tribute,  the  unhappy  official  was  cruelly 
murdered.  For  a  moment,  thoughts  of  force  to  compel 
submission  rose  in  the  king's  mind,  and  a  huge  levy  of 


•282  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

the  fighting  men  of  JudaL.  and  Benjamin  was  ordered 
to  effect  this.  But,  once  more,  a  prophet  appeared  on 
the  scene,  forbidding  civil  war,  in  the  name  of  Jehoyah, 
and  Rehoboam's  fears  or  wiser  thoughts  forthwith 
yielded  to  peaceful  counsels. 

Confining  himself  to  prudent  measures  of  defence,  he 
at  once  indulged  his  hereditary  taste  for  building,  and 
strengthened  the  small  territory  left  him,  by  raising 
forts  over  the  land,  and  making  walls  round  the 
principal  towns.  The  hill  of  Bethlehem,  as  an  outer 
defence  of  Jerusalem  on  the  south,  was  fortified :  so 
was  Etam  on  the  top  of  the  next  ridge  south,  and  Tekoa 
on  its  hill,  a  few  miles  still  farther  south.  Each  stood 
guard  over  the  wadys  running  steeply  down  to  the 
Dead  Sea.  Beth-zur,  a  little  north  of  Hebron ;  Slioco, 
a  few  miles  south  of  it;  Adullam,  in  the  bare  gorges  of 
Judah ;  Gath,  on  the  edge  of  the  Philistine  plain — one 
of  the  relics  of  David^s  victories ;  Mareshah,  half  way 
between  it  and  Hebron ;  that  hill-town  itself ;  Ziph,  a 
mile  or  two  south  of  it ;  Adoraim,  on  the  ridge  to  the 
west ;  Lachish,  a  few  miles  more  to  the  west ;  Azekah, 
half  way  between  Shoco  and  Hebron,  had  their  defences 
raised  or  strengthened ;  but,  after  all,  they  were  visible 
from  one  another  in  their  little  sweep  of  landscape, 
though  they  marked  the  southern  limits  of  the  king- 
dom. On  the  north  there  was  hardly  any  territory. 
Aijalon  and  Zorah,  almost  on  a  line  with  the  capital, 
were  the  only  posts  worth  naming.  The  whole  monarchy 
was  not  larger  than  a  middle-sized  English  county. 

Things  went  on  well  for  a  time.  Whether  from 
prudence,  or  a  passing  fit  of  piety,  the  worship  of 
Jehovah  was  duly  maintained,  with  the  effect  of  attract- 
ing many  pious  Israelites  from  all  the  tribes  to  settle  in 
Judah.     After  a  while,  however,  Rehoboam   relapsed 


BEHOBOAM.  283 

into  the  worst  sins  of  Ms  father.  Heathenism  was 
patronized^  with  all  its  unutterable  impurities,  and  the 
land_,  corrupt  and  effeminate,  lay  open  to  its  enemies. 
To  use  the  words  of  a  prophet — they  had  forsaken  God, 
and  God  forsook  them. 

Stirred  up,  most  probably  by  Jeroboam,  Shishak,  or 
Sheshonk,  king  of  Egypt,  marched  against  Judah.  The 
various  towns,  and  Jerusalem  itself,  easily  fell  a  prey 
to  him,  and  he  was  bought  off  only  by  giving  all  the 
treasures  of  the  Temple  and  of  the  palace.  Strange  to 
say,  there  is  a  memento  of  the  invasion  still  to  be  seen 
on  the  walls  of  a  temple  at  Karnak,  where  Shishak  has 
recorded  the  names  of  many  of  Rehoboam's  towns, 
Jerusalem  amongst  others,  as  taken  by  him.  So  very 
soon  did  all  Solomon's  glory  pass  away ;  so  very  soon, 
still  more,  was  the  Temple  reduced  to  a  dishonoured 
shadow  of  its  brief  splendour.  Does  it  not  seem  as  if 
the  pompous  ritual  worship,  set  up  by  Solomon,  had 
thus  early  received  the  reprobation  of  God  as  only  out- 
ward, and  largely  indifferent  ?  Ritualism  could  have 
had  but  a  subordinate  place  in  the  essence  of  religion, 
even  under  the  theocracy,  when  the  Temple  was  thus 
humbled  almost  as  soon  as  it  had  been  built,  and  the 
prophet,  with  his  utter  absence  of  all  external  show 
and  ceremony,  was  advanced  by  God  Himself  to  the 
honour  from  which  the  priest  was  cast  down. 

Rehoboam  reigned  only  seventeen  years,  but  they 
were  troubled  to  the  end.  Not  only  Egypt,  but  Israel 
kept  him  disquieted,  year  after  year.  He  was  able, 
however,  to  leave  his  now  petty  kingdom  to  his  son; 
but,  from  his  day,  Judah  was  of  no  account  among  the 
nations. 


JEHOSHAPHAT. 

THE  weak  and  unfortunate  Rehoboam  liad  been  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son  Abijab^  tbe  cbild  of  Absalom's 
daughter,  Maachab,  who  further  weakened  Judah  by 
commencing  a  fierce  attack  on  the  much  stronger  north- 
ern kingdom  of  Israel.  Gleams  of  success  appeared 
to  reward  him,  for  he  took  Bethel,  the  religious  capital 
of  Jeroboam,  and  one  or  two  smaller  places  in  Ephraim. 
But  as  he  did  not  destroy  the  great  Israelitish  temple 
set  up  to  rival  that  of  Jerusalem,  and  as  Bethel  was  won 
back  again  very  soon  by  Israel,  the  only  lasting  result 
of  the  bitter  strife  between  the  two  kingdoms  was  to 
weaken  both.  After  a  brief  reign  of  three  years, 
Abijah  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  or  brother 
Asa,  shortly  before  the  death  of  Jeroboam,  the  first 
king  of  Israel. 

At  Asa's  accession  things  looked  prosperous  for  the 
great  kingdom  of  the  Ten  Tribes,  but  they  were  not  so 
in  reality.  Nadab  the  son  of  Jeroboam,  with  all  the 
males  of  his  father's  house,  was  murdered,  after  a 
reign  of  two  years,  by  Baasha,  one  of  his  generals,  and 
the  conspirator  seated  himself  on  the  throne  as  the 
creature  of  the  soldiery.  The  army,  not  the  people, 
had  thus  early. become  the  chief  power  in  Israel.  Asa's 
reign    was  vigorous   and  able.      An    invasion   by   the 

284 


JEHOSHAPHAT.  285 

Etliiopian  dynasty  of  Egypt,  stirred  up  by  Baaslia,  was 
repelled  witli  signal  bravery,  and  a  subsequent  attack 
by  tlie  nortliern  king  resulted  only  in  the  capture  of 
Ramali,  on  tlie  main  road,  six  miles  north  of  Jerusalem. 
Subsidizing  the  king  of  Damascus,  Asa  forced  his 
enemy  to  give  up  Ramah,  the  possession  of  which  cut 
off  Jerusalem  from  communications  with  the  north, 
but  it  was  a  service  dearly  bought.  Henceforward 
the  S}^rians  were  the  terror  of  both  Israel  and  Judah. 
Razing  the  fortifications  of  Ramah  to  the  ground,  Asa 
forthwith  built  two  forts  on  the  two  sides  of  .the  road, 
a  little  nearer  Jerusalem  ;•  and  having  hewn  out  great 
reservoirs  for  water,  in  case  of  a  siege,  made  a  future 
blockade  of  his  capital  impossible. 

But,  notwithstanding  his  warlike  triumphs,  Asa  was 
naturally  inclined  to  peace,  and  more  at  home  as  a 
zealous  religious  reformer  than  a  conqueror.  His  great 
aim  was  to  restore  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  and  raise  his 
nation  by  the  many-sided  influences  of  a  pure  faith  and 
practice.  His  death,  in  B.C.  91 7,  left  his  noble  schemes 
unfinished,  but  the  sceptre  passed  into  the  hands  of 
one  who  had  no  higher  ambition  than  to  follow  in  the 
footsteps  of  his  father. 

Jehoshaphat — ^'  Jehovah  is  the  judge,'^ — was  thirty- 
five  years  of  age  at  his  accession,  and  reigned  twenty- 
five  years.  His  name  was  itself  an  illustration  of  his 
father's  loyalty  to  the  ancient  faith.  When  he  as- 
cended the  throne,  Omri,  the  founder  of  Samaria,  was 
still  alive,  but  he  died  two  years  later,  so  that  Ahab  and 
the  new  king  of  Judah  began  their  reigns  almost  to- 
gether. As  brave  as  his  father,  and  more  enterprising ; 
equally  faithful  to  Jehovah,  but  with  broader  views  of 
his  duty  as  a  theocratic  king  ;  ready  for  war,  if  unavoid- 
able, but  naturally  inclined  to  peace ;  he  was,  besides. 


286  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

endowed  with  a  genius  for  organization^  and  a  liigli 
intelligence  which  made  his  reign  a  notable  era  in  the 
history  of  his  people. 

Uncertain  relations  with  the  northern  kingdom  forced 
Jehoshaphat  at  the  outset  to  take  steps  to  protect  his 
territory  against  danger  from  that  quarter.  Garrisons 
were  j)laced  in  all  the  principal  towns  of  Judah,  and 
in  those  of  Ephraim  taken  from  Baasha^  and  plentiful 
stores  of  war  were  accumulated  for  their  use.  Jeru- 
salem had  a  special  force,  including  cavalry.^  To  pre- 
pare the  kingdom  for  a  vigorous  defence  in  case  of 
need,  he  further  remodelled  the  entire  military  arrange- 
ments, enrolling  apparently  the  whole  population  for 
active  service  in  case  of  emergency.^  But  defence,  not 
defiance,  was  his  maxim ;  he  was  prepared  for  war,  but 
he  sought  only  peace.  Reversing  the  policy  of  the 
former  kings  of  Judah,  he  saw  greater  benefit  in  alliance 
with  the  northern  kingdom  than  in  civil  war.  An  over- 
ture of  friendly  relations  having  therefore  been  made 
by  Ahab,  he  at  once  entertained  it,  entering  into  a 
treaty  of  mutual  defence,  which  he  faithfully  kept,  even 
after  Ahab's  death,  with  his  successors.  But  this  love 
of  peace  was,  in  one  particular,  allowed  to  carry  him 
too  far,  for  he  married  Joram,  his  heir,  to  Athaliah  the 
daughter  of  Jezebel ;  a  union  which  bore  the  disastrous 
fruits  only  too  likely  to  follow  the  installation  in  Jeru- 
salem of  a  queen  from  a  stock  so  evil. 

The  first  result  of  this  alliance  with  Ahab  was  a  cam- 
paign against  the  Syrians  who,  under  their  head,  the 
king  of  Damascus,  held  the  Israelitish  city  of  Ramoth,  in 
Gilead.  For  the  first  time  since  the  secession  of  the  Ten 
Tribes,  Samaria  had  been  honoured  by  a  visit  from  the 

^  1  Kings  xxii.  24;  2  Kings  iii.  7. 
2  2  Chron.  xvii.  1,  2,  13-18. 


JEHOSHAPHAT. 


287 


king  of  Judalij  and  he  had  been  received  with  great 
public  rejoicings  and  high  honour.  Under  such  circum- 
stanceSj  the  proposal  of  Ahab  that  Judah  should  help 
him  in  his  impending  campaign  against  the  king  of 
Damascus  was  hard  to  refuse,  but  Jehoshaphat  showed 
his  reverent  nature  by  declining  to  assent  till  he 
had  consulted  the  prophets,  and  obtained  from  them 
Divine  sanction  to  his  proposed  action.  One  only,  in- 
deed, out  of  the  four  hundred,  proved  superior  to  the 
temptation  of  flattering  the  northern  king,  but  he  did 
not  forbid  the  war, 
though  predicting 
the  death  of  Ahab 
during  its  course. 

The  forces  of  Ju» 
dah  were  therefore 
called  out,  and  hav- 
ing united  with  those 
of  Ahab,  crossed  the 
Jordan  and  advanced 
to  Ramoth-Gilead — 
''  the  heights  of  Gil- 
ead," — a  great  fast- 
ness      which       com-  Eotwiah  Stahdabds.— Tfilfcinson. 

manded  the  northern  parts  of  the  transjordanic  terri- 
tories. It  had  been  taken  by  Benhadad  I.  during  the 
reign  of  Omri,  and  its  loss  was  deeply  felt  by  Israel. 
After  the  repeated  defeats  of  the  Syrians  by  Ahab,  in 
their  attempts  against  Samaria,  its  restoration  had  been 
promised,  by  solemn  treaty,  but  in  spite  of  this  it  had 
never  been  surrendered.  Ahab's  efforts  to  regain  it 
proved,  however,  unsuccessful.  A  chance  arrow,  more- 
over, wounded  him  mortally,  so  that  he  died  in  a  few 
hours  before  the  struggle  in  front  of  the  city  had  been 


288  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

decided.  Jeliosliapliat  liimself  narrowly  escaped^  tlie 
Syrians  liaving  closed  ronnd  liim_,  thinking  Ms  plume 
was  that  of  the  king  of  Samaria^  but  Benhadad_,  having 
no  wish  to  bring  on  a  final  rupture  with  Judah^  let  its 
king  escape  when  the  mistake  was  discovered. 

The  reign  of  Ahaziah,  the  son  of  Ahab,  was  too  short 
to  allow  of  any  further  entanglement  of  Jehoshaphat  in 
Israelitish  interests  during  its  course.  But  the  death  of 
Ahab  on  the  field  of  battle  had  left  matters  beyond  the 
Jordan  in  such  confusion,  that  the  chivalrous  king  of 
Judah  could  not  refuse  his  aid  to  Ahaziah's  brother, 
Joram,  the  next  king  of  Samaria.  The  whole  country 
of  Gilead  had  been  left  open  to  the  Syrians,  and  the 
king  of  Moab  refused  to  pay  any  longer  a  heavy  tribute 
to  Samaria,  which  had  been  duly  sent  each  year  while 
Ahab  was  alive. 

Ahaziah  had  entered  with  great  spirit  on  the  war 
which  his  father  had  begun,  and  had  assailed  both 
Syria  and  Moab,  when  his  untimely  death  closed  his 
career.  But  in  the  meantime,  Mesha,  the  king  of  Moab, 
excited  by  the  fact  that  the  first  year's  campaign 
against  him  had  been  unsuccessful,  determined  to  invade 
Judah,  and  thus  carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's  country. 
A  strong  force  of  Moabites,  with  a  contingent  of 
Ammonites  and  Maonites — an  Edomite  tribe — was  there- 
fore launched  against  Jehoshaphat.  Marching  across 
the  plain  of  Jericho  to  Engedi,  on  the  north-west  side 
of  the  Dead  Sea,  they  reached  the  tableland  of  the 
wilderness  of  Judah  by  the  difficult  ascent  of  Ziz — a  mere 
track  that  scales  the  front  of  the  high  precipice  border- 
ing the  lake.  Before  them  there  now  lay  a  succession 
of  stony  deserts,  known  as  Jeruel  and  Tekoa,  not  far 
from  Bethlehem  and  Jerusalem.  The  danger  to  Judah 
was  imminent.     A  public  fast  and  humiliation  wore  at 


JEHOSHAPHAT.  289 

once  proclaimed  to  implore  lielp  from  above.  But 
Jeliosliapliat  was  not  an  unreasoning  fanatic.  A  huge 
force  was  instantly  mobilized  to  repel  the  invader.  It 
proved,  however,  unnecessary.  The  Maonites,  for  some 
reason,  quarrelled  with  their  allies  of  Moab  and  Ammon, 
and  the  dispute  rose  to  furious  battle.  Weakened  by 
this,  and  perhaps  alarmed  by  Jehoshaphat's  approach 
in  such  circumstances,  the  survivors  fled  homewards  in 
a  sudden  panic,  leaving  their  camp  as  it  stood,  with  so 
prodigious  a  booty  for  the  spoilers,  that  three  days  were 
spent  by  the  Jewish  army  in  collecting  it,  when  it  came 
to  the  spot.  Such  a  deliverance,  so  evidently  from  God, 
touched  the  heart  of  the  king  and  his  people  alike.  He 
and  his  force  had  marched  out  with  a  choir  of  Levites  at 
their  head,  chanting  psalms,  to  rouse  them  to  enthusiasm 
for  their  country  and  their  religion,  both  imperilled; 
they  now  returned  with  similar  jubilation,  to  celebrate 
with  the  flourish  of  sacred  trumpets,  the  murmur  of 
harps,  the  clang  of  cymbals,  and  the  loud  Hallelujahs 
of  multitudinous  voices,"  a  grand  Te  Deum  before  Him 
who  sat  between  the  cherubim  in  the  temple. 

Under  Joram  of  Samaria,  the  successor  of  Ahaziah, 
Jehoshaphat  once  more  joined  in  an  invasion  of  Moab ; 
but  in  spite  of  victory  on  the  advance,  and  the  reduction 
of  the  open  country,  Mesha^s  stubborn  defence  of  his 
capital,  and  his  despairing  self-sacrifice  in  offering  up 
his  eldest  son  on  the  city  wall  to  propitiate  Chemosh, 
the  national  god,  brought  the  campaign  to  an  impotent 
conclusion.  The  allied  Jewish  forces  retreated,  and 
Mesha  was  left  unconquered.^ 

So  much  vigour  on  the  part  of  Jehoshaphat  had  its 
effect  on  the  nations  round.     The  Philistines  and  some 

^  For  a  full  account  of  Mesha,  who  is  the  king  mentioned  on 
the  Moabite  Stone,  see  Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  iv.  pp.  106,  fP. 

u 


290 


JEHOSHAPHAT. 


291 


Arab  tribes  did  homage  to  binij  and  sent  him  presents,* 
and  Edom  became  tributary."  Yet  the  territory  of 
Judah  was  very  limited;  its  south  border  post  being 
Beersheba,  its  northern  bound  the  hills  of  Ephraim, 
and  its  eastern  the  Dead  Sea. 

It  was,  however,  in  civil  and  religious  affairs  much 
more  than  in  military,  that  Jehoshaphat's  reign  was 
most  distinguished.  He  was  pre-eminently  a  great 
organizer,  and  left  his  mark  as  such  on  the  history  of 
his  people.    A  teeming  population  filled  the  whole  land/ 


Catapult  fok  Stoxes. 

and  lived  in  security,  protected  by  the  wise  military 
defences  and  preparations  of  the  king.  Prosperity 
reigned.  Caravanserais  were  built  by  the  king  on  the 
principal  lines  of  commercial  travel,^  and  the  foreign 
sea-trade  of  Solomon  was  sought  to  be  restored  by  a 
line  of  .Tarshish-ships,  which  were  to  start  from  Ezion 
Geber,  on  the  Gulf  of  Akaba.  Ahaziah  of  Israel,  was 
to  send  crews  for  them  from  Phenicia;  but  a  great  storm, 

»  2  Chron.  xvii.  11. 

2  See  proofs  in  Art.  "  Josaphat/'  in  Kiehm's  Randwurterhuch, 

3  2  Chron.  xvii.  14-18.  <  2  Chron.  xvii.  12. 


292  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

unfortunately;,  destroyed  tlie  whole  fleet  as  it  lay  in  the 
roadstead  of  tlie  port^,  before  it  had  set  out  on  its  first 
vo3^age_,  and  the  catastrophe  seemed  so  ominous  that  the 
project  was  forthwith  abandoned. 

Material  prosperity,  however_,  was  not  the  only  bright 
feature  of  the  times.  Jerusalem  was  a  city  "  full  of  jus- 
tice, righteousness  lodged  in  it.^^  ^  High  religious 
feeling  expressed  itself  in  devotional  psalms,  of  which 
some  still  remain  in  the  sacred  collections.^  Foremost 
in  the  religious  enthusiasm  was  the  king  himself.  In 
the  northern  kingdom  fierce  opposition  raged  between 
Ahab  and  the  prophets ;  but  in  Judah  they  stood  in  the 
same  close  relations  to  the  throne  as  they  had  enjoyed 
under  David.  We  read  of  the  seers  Jehu,  Eliezer, 
and  Jehaziel,  who,  although  very  different  from  the 
mere  flatterers  of  power  in  the  capital  of  Ahab,  were 
yet  as  confidential  in  their  position  towards  Jehosha- 
phat  as  Nathan  and  Gad  had  been  to  the  son  of  Jesse 
in  a  former  generation.  Nor  was  he  honoured  only  by 
the  prophets  of  his  own  kingdom.  Elisha  paid  him  all 
dutiful  respect,  and  treated  him  as  the  friend  of  his 
order  and  the  recognised  servant  of  Jehovah.^ 

It  was  natural  that  such  a  ruler  should  strive  to  purify 
and  reinvigorate  the  national  worship,  which  had  been 
corrupted  and  left  to  fall  into  neglect.  Asa,  his  father, 
had  begun  a  great  reformation  ;  Jehoshaphat  zealously 
carried  it  out.  All  the  high  places  consecrated  to  idol 
worship  were  destroyed,  though  those  used  for  the  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah  were  left  standing.  He  strove,  more- 
over, to  restore  the  Temple  worship  to  its  ancient  glory, 
establishing  choirs  of  Ijevites  and  joroviding   in  every 

*  Isa.  i.  21.  2  Among  others,  the  47th  and  58th. 

3  2  Chron.  xix.  1-3,  13,  37 ;  1  Kings  xxii.  5,  7 ;  2  Kings  iii.  11, 
14 ;  2  Chron.  xvii.  34 ;  xix.  3 ;   xx.  3,  4 ;  xxi.  12. 


JEHOSHAPHAT.  293 

detail  for  tlie  proper  observance  of  the  Temple  duties. 
Nor  were  the  people  indifferent.  Their  public  thanks- 
giving after  the  battle  of  Tekoa  showed  the  healthy- 
religious  feeling  of  the  day. 

But  so  intelligent  a  man  felt  that  the  only  sure  basis 
of  permanent  loyalty  to  the  national  faith  must  be  a 
wise  education  of  the  whole  community.  He  there- 
fore appointed  a  body  of  sixteen  instructors  to  go  from 
place  to  place  through  the  land  and  teach  the  people 
the  Law.  His  breadth  of  mind  showed  itself  in  such  a 
scheme,  but  still  more  in  the  fact  that  of  the  sixteen, 
five  were  laymen,  and  that  these  stood  first  on  the  Com- 
mission. 

The  same  genius  for  organization  showed  itself  also 
in  another  direction.  No  country  can  be  permanently 
prosperous  without  the  safeguard  of  wise  and  firmly 
executed  laws.  To  secure  this  benefit  for  his  people 
Jehoshaphat  remodelled  the  judicial  arrangements  of 
the  kingdom.  Courts  were  established  in  every  walled 
town,  with  judges  at  their  head,  assisted  by  a  body  of 
lay  and  priestly  assessors.  Under  these  were  Levitical 
scribes  as  clerks,  to  register  the  decisions,  and  as  officers 
to  see  them  carried  out.  A  supreme  court,  moreover, 
was  set  up  in  Jerusalem  ;  Levites,  priests,  and  prominent 
laymen  forming  the  body  of  judges.  In  this  highest 
court  the  High  Priest  sat  as  president  in  all  religious 
questions;  the  "prince^'  or  head  noble  of  Judah,  in  all 
lay  disputes;  Levites  acting  here,  also,  as  scribes  and 
executive  officers.  Such  a  scheme  must  have  been  a 
signal  blessing  to  the  nation,  especially  so  long  as  the 
judges  kept  in  mind  the  charge  given  them  by  Jehosha- 
phat— "  Ye  are  to  judge,  not  for  men,  to  win  bribes 
or  favour  the  strong,  but  as  before  Jehovah,  the  true 
king  of  Israel,  whose  laws  you  are  to  administer,  and 


294 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


wliose  eyes  watcli  you  as  you  sit  on  the  judgment  seat. 
No  injustice  or  respect  of  persons  or  taking  of  bribes, 
passes  unnoticed  by  Him/^  ^ 

The  death  of  a  king  so  wise  and  so  good  was  a  great 
calamity  to  his  country.  The  twenty-five  years  of  his 
reign  are  one  of  the  brightest  spots  in  Jewish  history. 

*  2  Chron.  xix.  5-7. 


Ak  Egxptiak  ScBiaE.— PF'J/cinson. 


ATHALIAH. 


THE  condition  of  tlie  kingdom  of  Judali  at  tlie  death 
of  Jeliosliaphat  was  prosperous  in  tlie  extreme, 
but  tlie  terrible  influence  of  bad  government  in  an  ab- 
solute monarcby  was  soon  sbown  by  tbe  state  to  wbicli 
it  was  reduced  under  bis  son  Jeboram.  That  prince 
bad  been  associated  with  bis  fatber  on  tbe  tbrone  for 
some  years  before  deatb  opened  tbe  way  to  bis  indepen- 
dent reign.  He  was  tben  tbirty-two  years  of  age.  His 
brotber-in-law  Joram,  tbe  son  of  Abab,  bad  been 
king  in  Samaria  for  two  years,  in  succession  to  Ahaziab, 
and  bis  wife  Atbaliab,  tbe  daughter  of  Jezebel  and 
sister  of  Joram,  was  in  tbe  noonday  of  ber  womanhood 
in  Jerusalem.  It  is  strange,  but  only  too  often  noticed, 
that  tbe  child  of  a  worthy  father  is  not  seldom  unworthy 
of  its  parent,  and  it  was  thus  in  the  case  of  Jeboram. 
His  marriage  to  Atbaliab  may  itself  have  been  a  result 
of  early  waywardness,  for  it  is  hard  to  imagine  that 
so  good  a  man  as  Jehoshaphat  would  have  willingly 
assented  to  such  a  union.  In  any  case,  be  fell  at  once 
under  her  influence  as  thoroughly  as  ber  father  had 
been  dominated  by  her  mother.  Like  Jezebel,  also, 
she  was  a  fanatic  for  the  heathenism  of  Tyre — her 
mother's  country, — perhaps,  in  part,  from  the  fact  that 
ber  grandfather  had  been  high  priest  of  Baal  as  well  as 


295 


296  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

king  of  tlie  great  Phenician  city.  Pride  no  less  than 
superstition  may  have  decided  her  inclinations.  From 
the  moment  of  her  father-in-law's  death,  she  had  set 
herself  to  undo  the  work  of  his  life  by  superseding  the 
worship  of  Jehovah  in  favour  of  Baal  and  Astarte,  her 
mother's  gods.  It  was  no  new  thing  for  Judall  to  suflPer 
from  the  heathenism  of  its  queens.  Solomon  had  flat- 
tered the  foreign  ladies  of  his  harem  by  building  altars 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives  to  their  idols,  and  Pehoboam 
had  been  the  slave  of  his  heathen  mother,  Naamah,  the 
Ammonite ss,  and  of  his  wife  Maachah,  the  grand- 
daughter of  Absalom,  who  was  a  fierce  idolatress.  But 
Athaliah  was  destined  to  play  a  still  more  fatal  part  in 
the  story  of  Judah.  Resolute  and  imperious;  full  of 
wild  energy ;  a  determined  idol- worshipper,  she  had 
drawn  from  her  mother's  bosom,  along  with  her  life,  the 
utter  unscrupulousness  and  callousness  of  heart  and 
conscience  which  have  made  the  name  of  Jezebel  an 
abhorrence  for  ever. 

The  opening  of  her  husband's  reign  gave  her  the 
first  opportunity  of  acting  openly  as  his  evil  genius. 
To  make  his  throne  more  secure,  he  was  induced  by  her 
to  murder  all  the  royal  family,  as  far  as  possible. 
Abimelech  had,  in  the  same  way,  killed  all  the  sons  of 
Grideon,  but  till  now,  no  similar  crime  had  been  com- 
mitted in  Judah,  though  such  barbarity  was  the  rule 
in  Phenicia.  Jehoshaphat  had  appointed  his  six  sons 
as  governors  of  diff*erent  walled  towns,  to  withdraw  them 
from  the  luxurious  idleness  of  the  palace  and  give  them 
a  career.  But  their  nearness  to  the  throne,  no  less  than 
their  petty  dignities,  roused  the  jealousy  of  Jehoram. 
That  there  might  be  no  danger  of  a  rival  to  the  crown, 
numbers  of  prominent  men  supposed  to  favour  them, 
perished  with  them.     The  daughter  of  the  murderess  ot 


ATHALIAH.  297 

Nabotli  and  his  sons  was  in  lier  element  in  goading  a 
weak  husband  to  emulate  Aliab's  example  of  carrying 
out  the  will  of  the  tigress,  his  wife. 

Having  thus  established  her  power  over  Jehoram, 
Athaliah's  course  was  clear  to  advance  the  object 
nearest  her  heart,  by  establishing  idolatry  in  the  land. 
High  places  to  Baal  and  Ashtoreth,  or  Astarte,  rose  in 
the  cities  of  Judah.^  The  worship  of  Jehovah  in  the 
Temple  was  still  permitted,  but  only  as  one  of  a  number 
of  gods.  Heathenism,  thus  patronised  by  the  court, 
threatened  to  cover  the  land.  Nor  was  remonstrance 
on  the  part  of  the  prophets  of  any  avail.  Faithful 
under  Jehoshaphat,  they  doubtless  were  equally  so  to- 
wards his  son.  Even  the  aged  Elijah,  for  the  only  time, 
so  far  as  we  know,  in  the  history  of  the  earlier  prophets, 
sent  Jehoram  a  letter  denouncing  his  apostasy  and 
crimes,  so  like  those  the  seer  had  lamented  in  the  career 
of  Ahab.  But,  like  that  prince,  the  equally  weak- 
minded  husband  of  Athaliah  was  a  mere  tool  in  the 
hands  of  his  wife,  with  the  result  of  covering  his  reign 
with  shame  and  almost  ruining  his  country.  Edom, 
dependent  on  Judah  under  Jehoshaphat,  revolted  and 
set  up  a  native  prince  as  its  king,  after  a  massacre  of 
the  Jews  settled  in  the  land.^  An  invasion  of  the  rough 
mountains  of  Seir,  by  Jehoram,  ended  only  in  disaster. 
Edom  remained  free  for  half  a  century.     The  Philistine 

^  2  Chron.  xxi.  1-11,  for  "mountains,"  read  "cities."  The  altars 
of  these  high  places  were  doubtless  raised  on  earth  brought  from 
Phenicia,  that  the  gods  might  be  flattered  by  worship  on  their 
oivn  soil.  Indeed,  as  local  divinities,  they  could  only  be  worshipped 
in  a  foreign  country,  by  this  fiction  of  making  part  of  it  their  own 
territory.  So  ISTaaman  acted  when  anxious  to  raise  an  altar  to 
Jehovah,  for  private  use,  in  Damascus  (2  Kings  v.  17). 

2  2  Kings  viii.  20 ;  2  Chron.  xxi.  8  ;  Joel  iii.  19 ;  Hitzig,  Joel,  p. 
88. 


298  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

country  also  revolted  and  broke  away  from  Judah. 
Allying  themselves  with,  some  Arab  tribes,  they  even, 
in  their  turn,  attacked  Jerusalem,  and  succeeded  in 
taking  it  by  storm^  after  which  they  sacked  the  palace, 
capturing  the  royal  harem  and  the  king's  children,  with 
the  one  exception  of  Jehoahaz,  afterwards  known  as 
Ahaziah.^  Ten  years  of  such  a  reign  alienated  the 
affections  of  the  people.  A  long  and  terrible  disease 
which  seized  Jehoram,  seemed  a  judgment  for  his 
crimes  and  folly,  and  when  he  died,  at  the  age  of  forty- 
two,  no  pretence  of  regret  was  heard;  the  customary 
royal  honours  at  his  funeral  were  withheld,  and  a  grave 
sought  for  his  body  apart  from  the  ashes  of  his  ances- 
tors, with  whom  he  was  not  counted  worthy  to  lie  in  the 
royal  tombs. 

On  the  death  of  Jehoram,  his  son  Jehoahaz  or  Azariah 
ascended  the  throne,  but,  like  his  father,  he  was  king 
only  in  name.  The  imperious  Athaliah  was  supreme. 
Her  mother  had  for  the  time  triumphed  in  her  passion 
for  idolatry.  A  vast  temple  to  Baal,  with  four  hundred 
and  fifty  priests  as  its  staff  of  clergy,  had  risen  in  magni- 
ficence in  Samaria.  Sacred  pillars  and  images  glittered 
on  all  sides  in  its  courts ;  a  huge  statue  of  Baal  rising 
awfully  aloft  in  the  inner  shrine.  In  Jerusalem,  the 
daughter  had  already  built  a  temple  to  the  same  god, 
perhaps  on  the  same  model,  in  part  from  the  stones  of 
the  Temple,  now  left  to  fall  into  decay,  and,  still  worse, 
the  sacred  vessels  had  been  taken  for  the  service  of 
the  idol.  It  had,  also,  its  altars,  images,  and  college  of 
priests,  under  a  hierarch — Mattan — the  only  one  of  the 
staff  whose  name  has  survived.  Heathenism  was  in 
vogue.  It  was  supported  by  the  court  and,  of  course, 
by  the  courtiers.  Tyre,  which  was  even  more  to  Jeru- 
1  2  Kings  ix.  22,  29. 


ATHALIAH.  299 

salem  than  Paris,  in  the  days  of  Louis  XIY.,  was  to 
Europe,  worshipped  Baal,  and  the  genteel  world  fol- 
lowed the  fashion.  To  be  out  of  that  was  to  be  out  of 
the  world,  then  as  now.  Such  a  taint  naturally  spread 
downwards  through  the  community.  The  nation  was 
rapidly  becoming  heathen. 

Such  a  crisis  in  Judah,  added  to  that  created  by 
Jezebel  in  Samaria,  at  last  brought  about  its  own  terri- 
ble punishment.  The  vengeance  showed  itself  first  in 
the  northern  kingdom.  There,  the  prophets  had  grad- 
ually sapped  the  power  of  Ahab  and  his  queen,  till  the 
country  was  ready  for  their  overthrow ;  and  this  Jehu, 
a  fierce  but  crafty  soldier,  erelong  effected  with  hideous 
completeness.  Jezebel,  her  son  Joram,  and  the  whole 
royal  family  of  Samaria  perished,  and  with  them  fell  also 
Ahaziah  of  Judah,  the  son  of  Athaliah,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three,  after  a  reign  of  little  over  a  year.  For 
the  next  six  years  the  fierce  queen-mother  seized  the 
throne.  The  vast  families  of  the  past  reigns — children 
of  many  diff'erent  mothers — had  been  almost  extirpated, 
and  the  sons  of  Ahaziah  were  too  young  for  power. 
There  were  still,  however,  a  number  of  personages 
more  or  less  nearly  connected  with  the  throne,  and 
Ahaziah's  sons,  though  still  so  young,  would  daily  grow 
older.  Athaliah,  to  make  her  position  secure,  resolved 
to  put  to  death  not  only  the  more  distant  connections 
of  the  Crown,  but  to  kill  her  own  grandchildren.  One 
only,  a  baby  of  two  months — the  future  king  Jehoash — 
escaped.  His  aunt,  a  daughter  of  Jehoram,  and  wife  of 
the  high  priest  Jehoiada,  was  able  to  conceal  him  and 
his  nurse  in  a  chamber  of  the  priests'  quarter  of  the 
Temple.  The  feeble  infant  was  the  last  representative 
of  the  House  of  David. 

NoWj  at  last,  for  more  than  six  years  Athaliah  en- 


300  OLD  TESTAMENT   OHAEACTERS. 

joyed  the  delights  of  undivided  power,  for  whicli  slie 


The  High  Peiest  in  his  Official  Robbf. 

had  sold  her  heart  and  conscience.     For  the  first  time  a 


ATHALIABt.  301 

queen  sat  on  tlie  Jewish  throne,  and  she  a  heathen,  and 
only  half  an  Israelite.  Jehoiada,  the  high  priest,  had 
held  his  great  position  under  Jehoshaphat,  and  was 
already  old.  His  fidelity  to  the  line  of  David  was  un- 
swerving, and  no  less  so  his  loyalty  to  Jehovah.  To  re- 
store the  native  dynasty  and  the  worship  of  the  national 
God  was  his  one  thought.  But  delay  was  necessary.  The 
young  king  was  a  baby,  and  Athaliah  was  in  the  flush 
of  power.  Time,  however,  was  on  the  side  of  the 
patriot.  As  a  foreigner  and  heathen,  Athaliah  was  cer- 
tain to  make  herself  unpopular  by  her  foreign  favourites 
and  the  subversion  of  everything  Jewish  by  their  in- 
fluence. That  Judah  should  thus  sink  to  a  mere  shadow 
of  Tyre  was  at  last  intolerable.  Jehoiada's  opportunity 
was  at  hand.  It  was  the  seventh  year  of  Athaliah' s 
reign.  The  high  priest  had  won  to  his  side  the  officers 
of  the  queen's  bodyguard  of  Carians,^  and  her  five  chief 
"  runners,"  and  having  shown  the  young  king  to  them, 
had  sworn  them  to  defend  his  rights.  He  next  sent 
them  through  the  land  with  a  secret  invitation  to  the 
priests,  Levites,  and  "  elders  "  to  assemble  at  Jerusalem, 
in  all  probability  on  one  of  the  g^at  annual  feasts, 
when  their  presence  would  not  excite  suspicion.  To 
them,  also,  on  their  arrival  in  the  capital,  the  young 
king,  endeared  to  them  as  the  last  of  the  race  of  David, 
their  great  national  hero,  was  shown,  after  they  had 
sworn  to  be  loyal  to  him. 

Arrangements  for  the  revolution  could  now  be  made. 
A  strong  force  was  appointed  to  hold  the  Temple  gates 
and  guard  the  courts  of  the  priests,  in  the  chambers  con- 
nected with  which  the  young  king  was  concealed.  An 
open  space  in  front  was  left  for  sympathizers.  The 
outgoing  courses  of  Levites,  instead  of  leaving  tho  Tern- 
'  Ewald  and  Gractz. 


302 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


o 


ple^  stayed  behind  and  joined  tliose  who  should  have 
taken  their  places  :  a  double  strength  being  thus  secured. 
Spears  and  shields^,  small  and  large^  which  had  belonged 
to  David's  guard  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  before^  were 
brought  out  and  put  in  the  hands 
of  the  extemporized  soldiery ;  the 
very  sight  of  them  helping  to  fire 
^^^  their  zeal  for  David's  descendant. 

Vin  ^^\  -^^^   ^^^   weapons  of  some  kind. 

The  revolution  was  fixed  for  a 
Sabbath  day,  when  crowds  would 
fill  the  Temple  courts  and 
grounds. 

The    time    having    come,    the 

young  king  was  brought  out  to  a 

central  platform   raised   between 

/^  O^W     ^    ^^^^  former  site  of  the  brazen  altar 

C^'^^  ^^^     «     ^^  burnt  offering  and  the  Temple, 

as  it  were  under  the  wings  of  the 

great  cherubim  who  guarded  the 

Holy  of  Holies.     Bands  of  armed 

men  on  each  side  protected  him. 

A  vast  crowd  filled  the  wide  space 

in  front,  and  stretched   far  over 

the  Temple  grounds  beyond.  And 

now  Jehoiada  placed   the    crown 

on  the  head  of  the  child-prince, 

in  sight  of  all,  laying  gently  on  it, 

after  doing  so,  a  roll  of  the  Law 

of  Moses,  to  remind  him,  in  after 

years,  of  his  most   sacred   duties. 

Solemn  anointing  and   homage  followed.     The  rod  of 

Jesse  had  once  more  blossomed  :  there  was  again  a  king 

of  the  root  of  David.     Loud  shouts  of  "  Grod  bless  the 


ATHALIAH.  303 

king "  rent  the   aii%  with  wild  clapping  of  hands  and 


tumultuous  exultation.     Athaliah^  hitherto  unconscious 


304  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

of  danger,  now  first  learnt  what  was  afoot.  But  she 
had  all  her  mother's  bravery.  Commanding  her  litter 
to  be  brought,  she  instantly  came  in  person  to  the 
Temple,  where  the  scene  might  have  appalled  even  so 
stout  a  heart.  The  prince  stood,  crowned,  on  the  plat- 
form, surrounded  by  the  chief  men  of  the  nation,  headed 
by  the  high  priest.  Choirs  of  Levites  chanted  a  coro- 
nation psalm ;  the  temple  musicians  accompanied  their 
voices ;  the  silver  trumpets  ever  and  anon  pealed  forth 
loud  flourishes,  and  the  multitudes  in  the  courts  and 
outside  were  wildly  shouting  for  the  newly  consecrated 
king.  Bending  her  clothes  in  her  rage,  she  could 
only  scream,  ^'  Treason,  treason,^'  and  wait  to  see  if 
any  movement  were  made  in  her  favour.  But  her 
fate  was  speedily  decided.  '*'  Lead  her  outside  the 
sacred  bounds,''  cried  Jehoiada,  ^'  and  kill  her  when 
she  is  on  common  ground.'^  The  Temple  must  not 
be  profaned  with  human  blood.  Forthwith  the  com- 
mand was  obeyed.  The  crowd  opening  for  her,  the 
doomed  queen  was  hurried  on  till  she  reached  the 
chariot  gate  of  her  palace,  and  there  she  was  slain. 


AHAB. 

« 

THE  kingdom  of  Israel  remained  under  the  rule  of 
its  founder,  Jeroboam,  for  twenty- two  years,  and 
tlien  passed  to  the  hands  of  his  surviving  son,  Nadab. 
But  the  Ten  Tribes  were  to  feel,  that  an  independence 
which  rested  in  great  measure  on  the  repudiation  of 
Jehovah,  and  the  substitution  of  local  sanctuaries  with 
Egyptian  sj^mbols,  j)roscribed  by  Moses  as  idolatrous, 
was,  after  all,  a  great  mistake.  The  burdens  laid  on 
them  by  Rehoboam  were  lighter  than  those  they  laid  on 
themselves  by  breaking  away  from  the  religious  centre 
of  their  race.  Time  would  have  quietly  removed  the 
former  :  the  latter  sank  them  in  ever  deeper  evil,  moral 
and  political. 

Nadab,  weak  and  incompetent,  held  power  for  little 
more  than  a  year.  An  unfortunate  attack  on  the 
Philistines  at  Gibbethon,  a  town  apparently  on  the  edge 
of  the  sea-plain,  west  of  Samaria,  offered  an  opportunity 
for  a  successful  conspiracy  against  him  on  the  part  of 
Baasha,  an  officer  of  his  army.  Besides  murdering  the 
king,  the  usurper  set  the  first  example  in  Israel  of  the 
hideous  practice,  too  often  followed  after  him,  of  killing 
all  the  members  of  the  royal  house,  that  there  might  be 
no  rivals  from  it  to  give  trouble. 

It  seems  as  if  hatred  of  the  southern  kingdom  had 

805  X 


306  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

encouraged  Baaslia  in  his  plot^  for,  while  Nadab  turned 
his  arms  against  the  Philistines,  Baasha  renewed  the 
fierce  wars  of  Jeroboam^s  days  against  Judah,  as  if  to 
crush  it  entirely.  But  the  fatal  error  of  maintaining 
the  worship  of  the  calves  at  Dan  and  Bethel  was  still 
upheld,  and  drew  with  it  the  ruin  of  the  new  dynasty. 
Godly  Israelites  continued  to  emigrate  in  large  numbers 
from  the  northern  to  the  southern  kingdom,  and  popular 
discontent  and  disunion  grew  deeper  as  the  sacred 
associations  of  the  past  lost  their  power.  Baasha,  how- 
ever, maintained  his  authority  for  twenty-four  years, 
and  left  the  throne  to  his  son  Elah.  Yet  Israel  had 
steadily  sunk  under  his  rule.  Asa,  king  of  Judah, 
alarmed  at  his  building  a  fortress  on  the  marches  of 
Judah,  to  facilitate  inroads  on  its  territory,  called  in 
foreign  help,  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Israel ; 
inducing  the  king  of  Syria  to  aid  him,  by  attacking  his 
enemy,  which  he  did  with  such  success  as  henceforth  to 
paralyze  Baasha's  activity  and  give  Judah  peace. 

Elah,  his  son,  like  the  son  of  Jeroboam,  enjoyed  the 
throne  for  little  more  than  a  year,  and,  like  him,  was 
murdered  at  Tirzah,  his  country  residence,  while  help- 
less in  a  drunken  debauch,  the  ferocity  of  Baasha,  his 
father,  towards  the  house  of  Jeroboam  being  copied 
only  too  faithfully  by  his  own  murderer, — Zimri,  an 
officer  of  his  cavalry, — for  every  male  of  his  race 
perished  with  him.  But  the  avenging  Nemesis  was 
close  behind.  Omri,  the  commander-in-chief  of  Elah's 
army,  then  besieging  Gibbethon  for  the  second  time,  no 
sooner  heard  of  the  revolt,  than  he  raised  the  siege, 
and,  marching  to  Tirzah,  closely  invested  it.  Ere  long 
the  town  was  taken,  and  Zimri  driven  to  seek  refuge  in 
the  citadel  which  formed  part  of  the  royal  house,  and 
this  he  at  last  set  on  fire  ;  preferring  to  perish  thus,  and 


AHAB.  307 

destroy  tlie  treasures  of  the  palace  with  him — perhaps, 
also,  the  ladies  of  the  harem — than  to  suffer  either 
himself  or  them  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  enemy. 

Omri  now  ascended  the  vacant  throne,  but  a  com- 
petitor appeared  in  the  person  of  one  Tibni,  who  was 
not  crushed  till  after  four  years  of  civil  war. 

The  rise  of  three  dynasties  in  the  space  of  fifty  years 
marked  the  instability  of  the  Israelitish  kingdom,  nor 
was  Omri^s  reign  of  twelve  years  fitted  to  strengthen  it. 
Following  in  the  steps  of  Jeroboam,  he  only  deepened 
the  calamities  of  the  nation  by  still  further  sapping  its 
religion,  through  jealousy  of  the  southern  Temple. 

Ahab,  his  son,  a  man  weak  in  some  respects,  but  not 
wanting  in  good  traits,  ascended  the  throne  in  the  year 
B.C.  919.  His  father,  Omri,  an  able  and  energetic  man, 
had  abandoned  the  ruins  of  Tirzah,  after  the  terrible 
end  of  his  predecessor  and  rival  Zimri,  and  had  selected 
a  site  for  a  new  capital,  with  great  judgment,  in  the 
centre  of  his  kingdom.  This  spot  was  the  hill  of 
Samaria,  henceforward,  for  two  hundred  years,  till  the 
kingdom  finally  perished,  the  seat  of  the  Israelitish 
government.  Bethel,  with  its  Egyptian  calves,  still, 
however,  remained  the  chief  seat  of  the  religion  of  the 
land.  Omri  had  felt  that  peace  was  indispensable  to 
enable  him  to  build  up  his  government  and  restore 
prosperity  to  his  people,  and,  hence,  at  last,  Judah  had 
rest  from  Israelitish  wars.  He  had  in  the  same  way 
made  peace  with  the  king  of  Damascus,  preferring  to 
yield  some  towns  to  him,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Jordan,  and  to  allow  the  residence  of  a  Syrian  repre- 
sentative in  Samaria,  rather  than  risk  the  danger  of 
further  strife. 

It  seems  as  if  the  fatal  alliance  which  ruined  Ahab 
had  been  made  for  him  by  his  father.     Bent  on  pro- 


308  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

mo  ting  the  wealth,  and  prosperity  of  his  kingdom, 
nothing  seemed  more  likely  to  help  both  than  the 
marriage  of  his  son  with  a  Tyrian  princess^  who_,  how- 
ever, showed  herself  very  far  from  a  blessing  to  the 
nation,  for  she  was  no  other  than  Jezebel. 

Phenicia  was  at  that  time  in  its  glory.  Its  position 
gave  it  great  facilities  for  commerce^  and  the  energy 
of  its  people  had  made  their  name  "  Canaanite," 
synonymous  with  ^^  merchant "  among  neighbouring 
races.  Two  hundred  years  before  Ahab's  day  they  had 
founded  Cadiz,  on  the  Atlantic,  and  Utica  in  North 
Africa.  Thence  they  had  extended  their  territory  along 
the  coasts  of  Spain  and  the  north  and  west  of  Africa, 
besides  occupying  many  of  the  islands  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean. At  an  incredibly  early  date  we  find  them  in 
Cyprus  and  Egypt,  in  Greece  and  Sicily,  in  Africa  and 
Spain:  indeed,  even,  as  I  have  said,  on  the  Atlantic, 
and  in  the  Northern  Ocean.  Their  trade  extended  from 
Sierra  Leone  and  Cornwall  on  the  west  to  the  coast  of 
Malabar  on  the  east :  through  their  hands  passed  the 
gold  and  pearls  of  the  east,  the  purple  of  Tyre,  the 
slaves,  the  ivory,  the  lion  and  leopards'  skins  of  Central 
Africa,  the  incense  of  Arabia,  the  linen  of  Egypt,  the 
pottery  and  noble  wines  of  Greece,  the  copper  of 
Cyprus,  the  silver  of  Spain,  the  tin  of  England,  and  the 
iron  of  Elba.  Tyre  was  the  Yenice  of  antiquity :  her 
ships  were  on  many  waters :  her  merchants  were 
princes. 

But  the  genius  of  Phenicia  was  essentially  of  a 
sordid  type.  Though  of  the  same  race  as  the  Hebrews, 
and  speaking  a  cognate  dialect,  they  ignored  the 
spiritual  characteristics  which  have  made  the  Jew  the 
benefactor  of  the  world.  Neither  in  religion,  science, 
nor  art,   did  they  ever  take  an  independent  position. 


AHAB.  309 

Lust  and  cruelty  were  inwoven  witli  their  faith  and 
worsliip.  They  have  left  no  art  such  as  glorified  the 
Greeks;  and  they  followed  science  only  so  far  as  it 
bore  on  the  wants  of  their  commerce.  They  utterly 
failed  to  impress  their  characteristics  on  the  nations 
they  encountered  in  trade,  or  invaded  by  colonies,  and 
were  wholly  wanting  in  the  genius  for  government 
which  marks  the  Indo-Grermanic  race.  Through  all 
their  history  their  first  thought  was  gain.  Feeling  that 
the  closing  of  the  routes  of  traffic  would  cost  more  than 
the  heaviest  tax,  they  were  willing  rather  to  be  tribu- 
tary to  Egypt,  Babylon,  or  Nineveh,  than  to  fight  for 
independence.  Freedom  had  no  charms  for  them,  in 
comparison  with  ignoble  wealth.  Their  untruthfulness 
became  a  proverb;  their  frightful  harshness  to  the 
native  tribes  round  their  colonies  in  Africa  was,  in  the 
end,  fatal  to  themselves ;  and  the  sensuality  and  cruelty 
of  their  religious  rites  were  the  scandal  of  antiquity. 
Mammon  is  a  Phenician  word :  Beelzebub  was  a 
Phenician  god :  and  the  temples  of  Baal  and  Astarte, 
the  special  deities  of  the  State,  were  sinks  of  un- 
mentionable vice. 

Into  the  royal  family  of  this  people  Omri  married  his 
son  and  heir,  Ahab.  The  bride's  name  was  Jezebel — 
'^The  chaste  one."  She  was  the  daughter  of  Ethbaal, — 
"Baal's  man," — a  priest  of  Astarte, — "The  moon," — 
who  had  murdered  his  brother,  the  king  of  Tyre,  and 
seized  the  throne.  The  alliance  seemed  at  the  time  a 
great  stroke  of  policy,  by  linking  Israel  to  the  wealthiest 
community  of  the  day,  and  thus  opening  to  it  avenues 
of  material  prosperity  unknown  before.  It  has  been 
thought,   indeed,  by  some^  that   the   forty-fifth  Psalm 

*  Hitzig,  Stein,  and  Ewald  favour  this  idea.  Delitzsch  thinks 
it  was  the  marriage  of  Joram,  son  of  Jchosliai)hat,  with  Athaliah, 


310  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

has  preserved  to  us  tlie  marriage  ode  of  some  unknown 
poet  of  Israel^  written  to  welcome  Jezebel  to  Samaria. 
If  so,  how  sadly  must  the  dreams  of  the  nation  have 
been  disappointed  alike  in  Ahab  and  her  !  The  bride- 
groom may  have  been  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men,  and 
gracious  in  his  words  and  bearing,  but  the  fond  belief 
in  his  devotion  to  Jehovah  was  soon  to  be  dashed  !  He 
is  painted  as  coming  forth  from  his  ivory  palace  in 
robes  perfumed  with  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia,  and  as 
having  in  his  harem  kings'  daughters,  while  his  queen 
stood  at  his  right  hand  in  gold  of  Ophir.  King's 
daughter  she,  too,  was,  and  she  came  to  the  king  all 
glorious  in  her  bridal  array,  for  it  was  embroidered 
throughout  with  gold,  and  with  gorgeous  many-coloured 
work  of  the  needle.  Nor  did  she  come  alone;  her 
bridesmaids  were  with  her,  and  her  people  had  sent 
rich  gifts  from  Tyre !  Can  it  be  that  this  was  the 
Epithalamium  of  the  haughty  and  remorseless  Jezebel, 
the  worthy  daughter  of  a  royal  murderer  ? 

Ahab  began  his  reign  with  the  same  general  policy 
his  father  Omri  had  followed :  to  live  at  peace  with 
Judah,  and  to  do  his  utmost  to  develop  the  resources  of 
his  kingdom.  Like  many  Eastern  kings  he  had  a  taste 
for  magnificence,  which  showed  itself  in  extensive 
architecture,  and  reckless  luxury.  Commerce  had  ad- 
vanced greatly  through  Israel  in  the  preceding  genera- 
tions, and  hence,  while  Solomon  himself  was  contented 
with  having  a  throne  of  ivory,  Ahab  could  boast  of  a 
house  coated   with  plates  of   it.     He  embellished  the 

the  daughter  of  Ahab  ;  Moll  that  of  Solomon  with  the  Egyptian 
princess ;  while  others  have  had  various  fancies  respecting  it. 
But,  in  any  case,  the  poet  unconsciously  prefigured  a  far  higher 
than  any  earthly  alliance,  for  his  words  are  in  every  way  a  fitting 
anticipation  of  the  relations  of  the  Messiah  to  His  Church. 


AHAB.  311 

country  with,  new  cities,  and  especially  signalized  his 
reign  by  his  choice  of  Jezreel  as  a  royal  town,  and  by 
his  sumptuous  erections  in  it,  which  made  it  the 
Versailles  of  the  Israelitish  monarchy.  For  the  first 
time  since  the  days  of  Joshua,  Jericho  also  was  rebuilt 
by  one  Heli,  a  Benjamite,  though  its  restoration  cost 
the  life  of  two  sons  of  its  second  founder,  as  if  to  verify 
the  curse  pronounced  by  Joshua  on  its  rebuilding. 

But  Ahab  had  the  fatal  weakness  of  surrendering 
himself  blindly  to  the  wishes  of  his  Tyrian  wife,  who 
was  devoted  to  the  heathenism  of  her  race.  To  please 
her  he  built  a  temple  to  Baal  in  Samaria,  and  raised  an 
Asherah,  or  pillar,  sacred  to  the  moon  ;  and  he  further 
allowed  her  to  maintain  a  vast  establishment  of  four 
hundred  and  fifty  priests  and  prophets  of  Baal,  and 
four  hundred  of  Astarte.  Nothing  could  have  been 
more  ruinous  to  the  country  than  the  sensuality  and 
grossness  of  the  new  worship,  nor  anything  more  fitted 
to  bring  down  the  wrath  of  God  upon  it.  The  only 
choice  left  to  the  people  was  the  ox  worship  of  Dan  and 
Bethel,  or  the  hideous  pollutions  of  Phenician  idolatry. 

The  attacks  on  Israel  by  Syria,  which  had  begun 
through  the  instigation  of  King  Asa  of  Judah,  in  the 
reign  of  Baasha,  had  continued  through  Omri's  reign, 
till  a  humiliating  peace  had  made  Israel  almost  a  de- 
pendent state.  Under  Ahab  this  state  of  things  was 
not  allowed  to  continue.  Benhadad  had,  apparently, 
besieged  the  city,  and  having,  as  it  seemed,  almost 
reduced  it,  sent  messengers  to  the  wall  to  demand 
acknowledgment  of  his  superiority.  '^  Your  silver  and 
gold,  your  wives  and  children,"  they  were  instructed  to 
say,  "  are  as  good  as  mine.  Do  homage  to  me,  and 
pay  tribute  from  them  all  freely,  and  I  shall  withdraw!" 
Unwilling   to    provoke    his    mighty   neighbour,   Ahab 


312  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

readily  assented  to  humble  himself  personally,  and  to 
pay  the  tribute  demanded.  But  his  readiness  to  yield 
only  raised  Benhadad's  demands.  He  would  not  now 
content  himself  with  Ahab's  treasures,  but  required 
that  he  should  plunder  hi§  dependents  also,  and  even 
the  city  at  large. 

Calling  together  the  elders  and  principal  men,  Ahab 
asked  their  counsel,  and  was  spiritedly  advised  to 
refuse  such  a  haughty  summons.  Acting  on  this  he 
closed  the  town  gates,  and  prepared  for  defence, 
Benhadad  sending  back  a  threat  that  the  dust  of  the 
town,  when  it  was  brought  to  ruin,  as  it  would  be, 
would  not  suffice  to  give  a  handful  apiece  to  the  mighty 
host  he  had  with  him.  But  Ahab  was  stout-hearted. 
''  Tell  Benhadad,"  he  replied,  through  his  servants, 
'^  Let  not  him  that  girdeth  on  his  harness  boast  himself 
as  he  that  putteth  it  ofF.'^  Nor  was  he  disappointed. 
Learning  soon  after,  through  a  prophet,  that  the  Syrian 
king  was  holding  a  great  feast  with  his  chief  officers  in 
the  extemporized  tents  of  branches  which  formed  the 
encampment,  he  organized  a  vigorous  sally,  with  seven 
thousand  men,  and  taking  the  enemy  by  surprise, 
utterly  routed  them. 

Benhadad  was  not,  however,  to  be  shaken  off  by  one 
defeat.  Damascus  had  held  Israel  in  its  power  for 
many  years,  and  he  hoped  to  recover  his  prestige  by  a 
second  campaign.  Ahab  had  taken  all  his  horses  and 
chariots,  but  he  roused  himself  to  a  great  effort  to  over- 
power him,  notwithstanding.  With  the  simple  ideas  of 
early  antiquity  he  accounted  for  his  defeat  by  fancying 
that  the  gods  of  the  Israelites  were  hill-gods,  who 
would  be  powerless  in  the  lowlands,  but  had  been 
irresistible  when  a  hill  city  like  Samaria  had  been 
attacked.     To  give  greater  unity  to  his  force,  he  dis- 


AHAB.  313 

missed  the  vassal  kings  wlio  liad  been  present,  with 
their  contingents,  in  the  former  campaign,  and  having 
raised  a  huge  levy  from  his  own  subjects,  advanced 
with  them  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Aphek,  in  the  wide 
plains  of  Esdraelon.  AhaVs  army  seemed  helpless 
before  such  a  host,  which  covered  the  wide  plain, 
while  those  who  were  to  oppose  it  seemed  only,  to  use 
the  vivid  figure  of  Scripture,  like  a  flock  of  goats  on  the 
hill  side,  above  them. 

After  watching  each  other  for  seven  days,  Ahab  was 
able  at  last  to  make  a  sudden  swoop  on  the  vast  crowd 
arrayed  against  him,  and,  as  before,  threw  them  into 
utter  confusion  and  rout.  The  disordered  wreck  fled 
to  Aphek,  which  was  presently  besieged;  the  walls 
undermined,  and  a  breach  thus  opened.  Benhadad 
himself,  moreover,  was  taken  prisoner,  while  many 
thousands  of  his  men  perished  in  the  crash  of  the  wall, 
and  in  the  storming. 

Ahab  had  now  an  opportunity,  as  the  reward  of  his 
manly  courage  and  decisive  military  skill,  of  freeing 
himself  from  the  risk  of  future  peril  from  the  same 
source.  But  he  was  soft  and  kind-hearted  to  weakness. 
A  deputation,  clothed  in  sackcloth,  and  wearing  halters, 
in  token  of  utter  submission,  having  come  from  Ben- 
hadad, who  was  shut  up  helpless  in  the  citadel,  Ahab 
weakly  let  himself  be  cozened  into  granting  the  easiest 
terms  to  his  inveterate  enemy,  whose  very  defeat  was 
certain  to  bring  future  trouble,  if  strength  enough  were 
left  him  to  give  it.  The  deputation  humbly  asked  him 
to  grant  "  his  servant "  Benhadad  his  life ;  but  Ahab 
replied  that  he  was  '^  his  brother,"  and  asking  him  to  be 
sent  out,  caused  him  to  ascend  his  own  chariot  to  show 
that  he  treated  him  as  an  equal.  The  humbled  king 
was  profuse  in  promises.     He  would  restore  the  towns 


314 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 


his  father  liad  taken  from  Omri,  and  would  allow  a 
permanent  Jewish  embassy  in  Damascus_,  as  a  sign  of 
superiority,  like  that  which  his  father  had  had  in 
Samaria.  But  he  offered  no  security  for  keeping  his 
word,  and  Ahab  foolishly  demanded  none,  but  con- 
tenting himself  with  a  paper  treaty,  set  him  free,  to 
prepare  for  a  third  campaign  at  the  earliest  oppor- 
tunity. In  that  campaign,  as  we  shall  see,  Ahab 
himself  perished. 


JEZEBEL. 

THE  terrible  evil  of  an  unfortunate  marriage  on  the 
part  of  a  reigning  prince  was  never  shown  more 
strikingly  than  in  that  of  Ahab  with  Jezebel.  The  ruin 
of  Antony  by  his  mistress  Cleopatra  ;  the  perversion  of 
the  Stuarts  to  Romanism  by  the  influence  of  Henrietta 
Maria,  with  all  its  disasters  to  the  country  and  the 
family,  and  the  example  in  our  own  days  of  war  excited 
for  sectarian  ends,  by  the  power  of  a  priesthood  over 
the  wife  of  a  European  sovereign,  find  a  terrible  antici- 
pation in  the  results  of  Jezebel's  becoming  queen  at 
Samaria. 

Her  marriage  was  a  turning  point  in  the  history  of 
Israel.  Sprung  from  a  family  marked  by  its  ferocious 
spirit  and  religious  fanaticism,  she  inherited  its  worst 
qualities  in  excess.  Her  father  united  the  priesthood 
of  Astarte  with  the  royalty  of  Tyre,  and  had  gained 
the  throne  by  fratricide.  In  the  next  generation  one 
member  of  the  house  was  at  the  same  time  king  and 
high  priest  of  Baal,  another  was  guilty  of  murder,  and 
a  third  was  Elisa  or  Dido,  the  energetic  foundress  of 
Carthage.  What  Mary  of  Guise  was  to  be  to  the 
Protestants  of  Scotland,  or  Catherine  de  Medici  to  the 
Huguenots  of  France,  Jezebel  was  to  prove  herself 
to   the  worshippers    of   Jehovah    in    Israel,  while  her 

315 


316  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

personal  character  was  destined  to  make  her  name 
a  proverb  for  mingled  haughtiness^  fanaticism,  and 
profligacy. 

She  had  no  sooner  won  the  hand  of  Ahab  than  she 
virtually  seated  herself  on  his  throne,  and  made  him 
her  slave.  Fascinated  by  her  strength  of  character, 
her  arts,  and  perhaps  her  beauty,  Ahab  became  a  mere 
plaything  in  her  hands,  to  carry  out  her  whims  and 
passions.  As  the  daughter  of  a  priest  she  brought  with 
her  a  fanatical  zeal  for  the  idolatry  of  her  native  city, 
and  in  her  imperiousness  determined,  apparently  from 
the  first,  to  root  out  the  worship  of  Jehovah  in  her 
husband^s  kingdom,  and  substitute  that  which  she 
favoured.  Herself  apparently  licentious,^  prone  to 
superstitious  arts,  and  identified  with  the  sensual  rites 
of-ter  favourite  idolatry,  she  induced  Ahab  ere  long 
to  build  a  grand  temple  to  Baal  in  Samaria,  with  the 
statue  of  the  god  in  its  holy  of  holies,  and  many  others 
of  diff'erent  Syrian  gods  in  its  forecourt,  while  a  lofty 
tower,  perhaps  the  chambers  of  the  priests,  rose  high 
over  all.^  To  give  fitting  pomp  to  the  services  in  this 
splendid  building,  she  brought  four  hundred  and  fifty 
priests  from  Tyre,  and,  no  doubt,  a  much  larger  number 
of  assistants  and  temple  servants.  At  Jezreel,  where 
Ahab  had  built  his  summer  palace,  she  would  not  rest 
satisfied  till  he  had  built  another  heathen  temple  to 
Astarte,  with  a  grove  round  it,  and  a  huge  Asherah 
pillar,  the  symbol  of  a  third  Syrian  idol. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  realize  in  a  Christian  age 
what  was  implied  in  this  revolution.  That  Beelzebub — 
'Hhe  Lord  of  the  heavenly  palace" — one  of  the  names 
of  Baal,  should  have  been  adopted  by  the  Hebrews  as 

1  2  Kings  ix.  22 ;  Eev.  ii.  20. 
«  2  Kings  iii.  2  ;  x.  25,  27. 


JEZEBEL.  317 

fcliat  of  the  prince  of  devils^  casts  a  lurid  light  on  the 
horrors  of  the  worship  paid  that  god.  Astarte  symbolized 
the  moon,  as  Baal  did  the  shining  Syrian  sun,  and  was 
worshipped  even  by  the  corrupted  Jews  as  the  Queen  of 
heaven.  What  the  rites  of  this  idol  were  may  be  judged 
from  universal  prostitution  forming  a  part  of  them.  The 
Asherah — an  old  Semitic  goddess — was  associated  with 
rites  if  possible  more  horrible.  Nor  is  it  to  be  forgotten 
that  one  form  of  Baal — that  of  Baal  Hamman — was  the 
Moloch  of  the  Jews,  to  whom  children  were  burned 
alive  as  the  most  acceptable  sacrifices.  This  grisly  idol 
was  made  of  brass,  with  a  human  body  and  limbs,  and 
the  head  of  an  ox,  and  it  was  hollow  within.  The 
children  to  be  burned  alive  were  laid  on  its  extended 
arms,  fire  was  kindled  within  and  before  it,  and  drums 
were  beaten  furiously  to  drown  the  shrieks  of  the 
victims  as  they  rolled  off  into  the  flames.^ 

Against  this  foul  idolatry  which  was  destined  to 
degrade  the  northern  tribes  to  the  level  of  their 
heathen  neighbours,  till  they  were  finally  driven  by 
Jehovah  from  the  land  they  polluted,  into  that  Assyrian 
banishment  in  which  they  were  finally  lost,  there  were 
not  wanting  faithful  souls  to  raise  a  stern  resistance  at 
its  first  introduction.  The  example  of  the  king  and  K. 
queen  naturally  set  the  fashion,  and  the  defection  from  / 
Jehovah-worship  spread  till  it  needed  a  Divine  assur- 
ance to  cheer  Elijah,  by  the  intimation  that  there  were 
still  seven  thousand  men  who  had  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  Baal.  The  schools  of  the  prophets,  founded  origin- 
ally, as  it  seems,  by  Samuel,  and  still  true  to  his  spirit, 
furnished  a  steadfast  array  of  confessors  and  fearless 
defenders  of  the  faith  of  their  fathers,  who  threatened 
to  prevent  the  triumph  of  the  worship  which  Jezebel 
*  See  illustration  in  Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  iii.,  p.  366. 


318  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEKS. 

had  determined  to  make  universal.  But  lier  fierce  and 
resolute  spirit  stopped  at  nothing  to  gain  her  end. 
A  relentless  persecution  was  commenced  against  the 
leaders  and  followers  of  the  old  religion.^  A  hundred 
of  the  prophets  owed  their  lives  to  the  courage  and 
fidelity  of  Obadiah,  the  ^'  governor  ^'  of  Ahab^s  palace, 
rightly  called  by  the  name  he  bore — *'  The  servant  of 
Jehovah/^ 

But  there  was  one  spirit  as  fearless,  and  far  more 
lofty  than  that  of  Jezebel,  before  whom  her  cherished 
heathenism  was  doomed  to  suffer  a  terrible  blow — that 
of  Elijah.  Clothed  with  miraculous  powers,  and  dar- 
ing the  wrath  of  the  queen,  the  prophet  threw  himself 
in  the  way  of  Ahab,  whom  he  overawed,  hurling  back 
upon  him  the  accusation  of  being  the  troubler  of 
Israel,  and  obtained  consent  to  summon  all  the  pro- 
phets, both  of  Baal  and  Astarte,  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  in  number,  to  Mount  Carmel.  There,  on  an  ap- 
pointed day,  they  all  gathered,  amidst  a  vast  concourse 
of  the  people,  who,  after  the  helplessness  of  the  god 
had  been  shown,  and  the  awful  power  of  Jehovah,  were 
so  stirred  that,  at  Elijah's  command,  they  fell  on  the 
idolatrous  priests,  and  massacred  them  to  the  last 
man. 

Ahab  had  remained  passive  during  this  wild  scene, 
for  he  very  likely  had  little  interest  in  the  worship  so 
dear  to  his  wife,  and  rather  suffered  than  favoured  it. 
But  if  he  were  indiff'erent,  or  terrified  into  assent, 
Jezebel  retained  all  her  presence  of  mind.  Undismayed 
by  the  popular  support  given  so  sternly  to  Elijah,  or  by 
the  signs  of  a  higher  power  he  had  shown,  she  could 
think  only  of  vengeance,  and  imprecated  destruction  on 
herself  if,  before  another  day  closed,  he,  also,  were  not 
*  1  Kings  xviii.  13 ;  2  Kings  ix.  7. 


JEZEBEL.  319 

put  to  death.  "  So  let  the  gods  do  to  me_,  and  more  also/' 
cried  the  imperious  woman,  ^^  if  I  make  not  thy  life  as 
the  life  of  one  of  them  by  to-morrow  about  this  time.^' 
Elijah  had  braved  the  fury  of  a  king,  and  had  faced  the 
whole  multitude  of  the  prophets  of  Baal,  but  he  quailed 
before  the  threats  of  the  awful  queen,  and  fled  for  his 
life,  even  beyond  Judah,  to  the  distant  region  of  Horeb, 
in  the  far  south.  She  was  only  queen,  and,  as  such,  had 
no  legitimate  power,  but  Ahab  was  not  even  mentioned 
in  her  vow  of  revenge.  He  had  sunk  to  be  the  mere 
instrument  of  her  pleasure. 

But  it  was  not  enough  that  the  weak  man — weak, 
rather  than  deliberately  wicked — had  involved  himself 
in  his  wife's  guilt  by  introducing  idolatry,  and  stained 
his  hands  in  the  blood  of  martyrs  by  acquiescence  in  her 
persecution  of  the  servants  of  Jehovah ;  he  was  to  be 
dragged  down  by  her  to  a  still  lower  depth. 

Courageous  and  manly  at  times,  he  was,  as  a  rule, 
weak  and  effeminate.  He  had  yielded  entirely  to 
Jezebel,  till  she  was  the  real  king;  and  though  he 
fought  bravely  against  the  Syrians,  he  had  at  first  been 
ready  to  yield  to  them  without  resistance,  and  wanted 
firmness  to  use  his  victory  when  Benhadad  was  in  his 
power.  A  citizen  of  Jezreel,  Naboth  by  name,  had  a 
vineyard  which  Ahab  wished  to  buy,  for  enclosure  in 
the  royal  park.  But,  like  a  true  Israelite,  to  whom  the 
sale  of  the  family  inheritance  was  forbidden,  Naboth 
would  not  part  with  it,  and  his  refusal  to  do  so  fretted 
the  weak  king,  so  that  he  took  to  his  bed  and  turned 
his  face  to  the  wall,  ill  with  mortification  at  having  any 
wish,  however  trifling,  thwarted. 

Jezebel,  however,  was  equal,  in  her  own  remorseless 
way,  to  the  occasion.  Taunting  her  husband  with  his 
weakness,  she  asked  him  "  if  he  really  were  king  ? — if 


320  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

SO,  lie  would  have  little  trouble  to  get  Ms  msli.  If  lie 
would  not  act  as  became  a  king,  sbe  would  do  so,  and 
would  speedily  give  him  the  vineyard  he  coveted. 
There  was  no  need  for  his  fretting  :  he  might  rise,  eat, 
and  be  merry/' 

Then  followed  a  piece  of  consummate  wickedness 
which  raises  her  to  an  awful  pre-eminence  in  crime.  She 
drew  up  an  order  in  Ahab's  name,  but  without  his 
knowledge,  that  the  elders  of  Jezreel  should  carry  out 
a  plot  against  Naboth  with  all  the  forms  of  law,  and 
put  him  to  death  at  once,  though  he  was  guilty  of  no 
offence ;  and  to  this  order  she  affixed  the  royal  seal.  It 
was  only  too  faithfully  carried  out  by  the  terrified 
authorities,  not  only  on  Naboth,  but  also  on  his  sons,^ 
and  Ahab  had  the  vineyard  of  the  murdered  man  as  she 
had  promised.  But  it  marks  the  difference  between  him 
and  her,  that  when  Elijah  had  once  more  put  himself  in 
his  way,  and  denounced  the  crime  in  the  very  vineyard 
itself,  predicting  Ahab's  death  and  the  extinction  of 
his  house  on  account  of  it,  "  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  put 
on  sackcloth,  and  fasted  and  went  softly  '^ — humbled 
in  soul  at  the  deed  to  which  he  had  become  a  party  by 
accepting  its  results. 

His  death,  which  happened  perhaps  soon  after  this, 
left  Jezebel  a  widow.  Benhadad,  having  recovered 
from  his  losses,  once  more  attacked  Israel,  and  for  three 
years  sought  to  crush  it.  At  last  Ahab,  having  made 
an  alliance  with  Jehoshaphat,  King  of  Judah,  deter- 
mined, in  spite  of  the  warning  of  a  true  prophet,  to 
besiege  Ramoth  in  Gilead,  an  old  Israelitish  town  now 
in  the  hands  of  Syria ;  the  forces  of  Judah  co-operating 
with  his  own.  True  to  his  character  he  marked  his 
setting  out  on  the  campaign  by  imprisoning  the  prophet 
I  2  Kinors  ix.  26. 


JEZEBEL.  321 

who  had  spoken  unwelcome  truth,,  and  rewarding  the 
impostors  who  had  flattered  him  ! 

A  battle  had  to  be  fought  with  Benhadad's  army 
before  the  siege  could  be  begun^  but  Ahab^  though 
personally  brave^  was  too  much  awed  by  the  warning  he 
had  received  to  lead  on  his  forces  in  his  full  royal  robes, 
as  was  the  custom.  Disguising  himself,  therefore,  that 
he  might  not  be  a  special  aim^  he  joined  in  the  fight. 
But  the  doom  predicted  found  him  out.  An  arrow  shot 
at  a  venture,  pierced  the  weakly-protected  part  below 
his  breast-plate,  and  inflicted  a  mortal  wound.  He 
would  not,  however,  flee,  though  he  felt  himself  mortally 
stricken.  He  had  been  bravely  facing  the  enemy^  and 
now,  lest  his  retirement  should  discourage  his  troops,  he 
made  his  attendants  hold  him  up  in  his  chariot,  while 
life  lasted,  standing  through  the  awful  hours  in  his 
own  blood,  to  secure  the  victory  to  his  side !  He  had 
reigned  twenty-two  years. 

Jezebel,  now  a  middle-aged  woman,  survived  her 
husband  fourteen  years,  and,  as  queen  mother, — a  very 
important  personage  in  Eastern  monarchies^ — still  re- 
tained much  of  her  evil  influence  in  the  court  of  her 
sons,  Ahaziah  and  Joram.  The  short  reign  of  the 
former,  for  he  died  two  years  after  his  accession,  saved 
him  from  the  terrible  fate  rapidly  coming  on  his  house. 
His  brother,  Joram,  succeeded  him  ;  and  under  him 
Jezebel  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  Baal  worship 
discouraged,  though  the  ox-worship  at  Bethel  was  still 
maintained. 

At  last,  after  a  reign  of  eleven  years,  the  revolution 
effected  by  Jehu  brought  the  fulfilment  of  all  that  had 
been  predicted  against  Ahab  and  his  family.  Jehu  had 
been  one  of  the  body-guard  of  Ahab,  and  had  ridden 
with  him  to  the  vineyard  of  Naboth,  when  Elijah  met  him 

T 


322  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

and  foretold  that  lie  would  be  requited  on  tliat  very 
spot;  for  his  share  in  Naboth's  murder ;  and  the  listener 
had  stored  the  words  in  his  heart.  An  opportunity  for 
conspiring  against  the  dynasty  first  offered  itself  when 
Joram  was  recovering  from  a  wound  received  in  battle 
with  the  Syrians.  A  prophet  having  then  anointed 
Jehu  as  the  future  king_,  to  carry  out  the  Divine  ven- 
geance, he  took  advantage  of  Joram's  helplessness  to 
ride  to  Jezreel  and  put  him  to  death.  Ahaziah,  king 
of  Judah,  the  son  of  Joram's  sister  Athaliah_,  JezebeVs 
daughter,  having  come  out  with  Joram  to  meet  Jehu, 
shared  his  fate.  Jezebers  hour,  also,  had  now  come, 
and  she  met  her  death  with  a  spirit  worthy  of  her  life. 
Painting  her  eyelids  and  decorating  her  head,  she  de-- 
liberately  posed  herself  at  a  window  to  see  the  rebel 
when  he  came,  and  at  once,  on  his  appearing,  warned 
him  of  the  fate  of  Zimri,  who,  after  a  successful  revolt 
and  the  murder  of  his  king,  had  been  burned  alive. 
But  there  was  only  vengeance  in  the  fierce  Puritan's 
heart.  Looking  up,  he  demanded  who  was  on  his  side, 
and  ordered  two  or  three  eunuchs  who  looked  out,  to 
throw  the  queen  over.  Another  moment  and  she  lay 
mangled  on  the  ground,  the  blood  sprinkling  the  wall 
and  the  breasts  of  Jehu's  horses,  as  he  crushed  out  the 
last  remains  of  life  under  their  hoofs  and  the  wheels  of 
his  chariot.  No  one  was  left  to  do  her  honour  in  her 
death,  and  she  lay  there  till  the  city  dogs,  ever  on  the 
watch  for  food,  ate  all  but  the  hard  parts  of  her  skele- 
ton— the  skull,  the  hands,  and  the  feet !  The  words  of 
Elijah  had  come  literally  true.  . 


9^ 

>^^^ 

^ 

^^t^wD 

ij&y 

^ 

W^j^^^^^^^ 

T^^^Iw 

m 

^^ 

^ 

^^ 

ELIJAH. 

THE  " propliet "  stands  in  antiquity  as  tlie  nniqne 
distinction  of  the  Hebrew  faith.  In  modern  ages 
tlie  Dervislies  of  Asia  have  supplied  in  Mahommedan- 
ism  some  of  his  special  characteristics^,  in  their  fearless 
protests  in  behalf  of  the  right  when  invaded  by  either 
prince  or  people,  but  they  come  short  in  many  ways  of 
the  ideal  of  the  Jewish  prophet,  while  they  are  outside 
of  it  in  others.  The  prophets  among  the  Egyptians 
were  only  the  highest  kinds  of  priests,  specially  de- 
voted to  superstitious  observances,  which  Moses  strictly 
prohibited  in  Israel.  In  Greece  and  Rome  they  either 
confined  themselves  to  this  sphere,  or  gave  forth  oracles 
from  the  sacred  recesses  of  temples.  But  in  Palestine, 
among  the  Hebrews,  the  prophet  was  a  political  power 
no  less  than  a  religious  :  he  forbade  or  advised  change 
of  government  or  of  policy ;  inaugurated  revolutions  by 
the  consecration  of  successors  to  existing  dynasties; 
counselled  kings,  priests,  and  people ;  urged  wars  or  de- 
nounced them ;  and  moved  in  the  nation  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  invisible  King  of  Israel,  in  whose  name 
he  spoke  with  a  paramount  authority. 

Among  this  illustrious  order  Elijah  is  the  most  illus- 
trious. Born  among  the  mountains  of  Gilead,  east  of 
the  Jordan,  the  home  of  wandering  pastoral  tribes,  un- 

S2S 


324  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

settled  and  untamed  in  their  characters  as  in  their  lives, 
he  comes  before  us  with  many  of  the  characteristics  of 
the  half-Arab  clans  to  which  he  belonged.  His  sudden 
appearances  and  withdrawals ;  his  magnificent  fearless- 
ness, and  his  grand  fidelity  to  Jehovah  in  an  age  of 
general  apostasy,  are  in  keeping  with  the  freedom  and 
restless  life  of  the  people  among  whom  his  lot  was  cast. 

To  realize  Elijah's  character  and  acts,  it  is  necessary 
to  remember  the  circumstances  of  the  times.  The 
worship  of  Jehovah,  rudely  shaken  by  the  introduction 
of  the  Egyptian  ox-worship,  as  a  symbol,  at  Dan  and 
Bethel,  had  been  well-nigh  crushed  by  the  support 
weakly  lent  by  Ahab  to  the  idolatrous  fanaticism  of  his 
wife  Jezebel.  A  gorgeous  temple  to  Baal  adorned 
Samaria;  another  equally  splendid  had  been  raised  at 
Jezreel.  Eight  hundred  and  fifty  priests,  and  a  corres- 
ponding multitude  of  lower  attendants,  gave  pomp  and 
grandeur  to  the  worship  of  the  idols.  The  sensuality 
of  the  rites ;  the  influence  of  the  court  and  throne  as 
leaders  of  fashion ;  the  relentless  persecution  of  Jehovah- 
worshippers  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  open  road  to  pro- 
motion offered  by  apostasy  on  the  other,  had  resulted 
in  an  apparently  complete  victory  for  the  new  religion. 
So  far  as  Elijah  could  see,  he  was  himself  the  last  sur- 
vivor of  those  who  clung  to  the  faith  of  their  fathers. 

That  he  did  cling  to  it  even  when  thus,  as  it  seemed, 
alone;  that  he  braved  court  and  throne,  to  maintain 
the  true  national  faith,  and  Ventured  even  into  the  pre- 
sence of  Ahab  as  an  open  confessor  of  Jehovah,  was 
itself  the  ideal  of  heroism.  He  was  unsuccessful  in 
leading  back  Israel  to  a  true  and  lasting-  homage  to 
Jehovah,  but  he  broke  the  power  of  Baal-worship  so 
that  it  never  recovered  its  prestige,  and  he  paved  the 
way  for  the  terrible  reformation  by  Jehu, 


ELIJAH. 

His  first  appearance  is  startling  by  its  abrupt  intro- 
duction. Without  a  word  of  preparation,  tlie  story  of 
Aliab's  surrender  to  idolatry  is  followed  by  the  intima- 
tion of  Elijah  announcing  to  the  king  that,  '^  as  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  there 
shall  be  no  dew  these  years,  but  according  to  my  word/^ 
Dressed  in  a  rude  mantle  of  sheep-skin,  tied  round  him, 
as  is  still  the  custom  of  the  poorest,  by  a  leathern 
girdle  or  belt,  and  fastened,  it  is  likely,  with  the  thorn 
of  some  desert  shrub,  his  long  hair  hanging  down  his 
back,  he  ventures  into  the  presence  of  Ahab,  in  spite  of 
all  peril,  and  proclaims  himself  as  the  unswerving  servant 
of  Jehovah,  whom  he  is  not  ashamed  to  reverence  as 
the  God  of  Israel,  in  opposition  to  all  idols.  He  comes 
and  goes  like  an  apparition.  The  famine,  caused  by 
want  of  rain,  begins  to  afflict  the  land,  but  a  safe  re- 
treat is  found  for  him  by  Divine  direction  in  the  depths 
of  the  wady  of  some  of  the  streams  which,  in  ordinary 
seasons,  leap  from  ledge  to  ledge  of  the  Eastern  table- 
land into  the  Jordan.  There  he  is  fed  by  miracle,  till 
the  brook  dries  up.  Then  traversing  Israel,  he  is  sent 
to  the  very  land  of  Baal :  the  district  above  all  others 
least  likely  to  be  searched  for  the  great  opponent  of 
Baal-worship.  There  he  spends  many  months,  bringing 
a  blessing  to  the  lonely  widowwho  has  entertained  him, 
till,  at  last,  when  the  drought  has  lasted  over  three 
years,  he  is  once  more  commanded  by  God  to  throw 
himself  in  the  path  of  Ahab. 

The  want  of  water  in  the  land  had  become  a  terrible 
calamity,  affecting  all  alike,  from  the  king  to  the 
peasant.  The  horses  anxi  cattle  were  everywhere 
dying,  till,  as  a  last  resource,  Ahab  himself  and  the 
chief  officer  of  his  palace,  Obadiah,  set  out  to  search 
everywhere  for  springs  or  brooks  not  yet  wholly  dried 


326  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

up.  It  is  wliile  lie  is  on  tliis  journey  tliat  Obadiah.  sud- 
denly encounters  tlie  propliet  and  receives  from  liim  a 
command  to  go  and  tell  Ahab  tliat  Elijah  is  there. 
But  even  to  mention  the  dreaded  name  was  too  much 
for  the  courage  of  one  who_,  nevertheless^  had  faith- 
fully hidden  and  fed,  in  the  fierce  persecution,  a  hundred 
of  the  prophets  of  Jehovah.  He  feared  that  Elijah 
would  disappear  as  suddenly  as  he  had  shown  himself, 
and  leave  him  to  brave  the  fury  of  the  king.  Only  on 
the  prophet's  assurance  that  he  would  in  very  deed 
await  Ahab,  would  the  messenger  undertake  the  errand. 

The  interview  as  narrated  is  striking  in  the  extreme. 
To  Ahab's  angry  greeting,  ^^  Art  thou  he  that  troubleth 
Israel  ? ''  he  returns  the  cutting  retort,  that  it  was  not 
he  but  Ahab  himself  who  did  so,  by  setting  up  the 
worship  of  Baal.  Then,  as  if  speaking  to  one  whom  he 
expected  to  obey  his  orders,  he  commanded  the  king  to 
summon  all  the  prophets  of  the  false  worship  to  Carmel, 
a  range  of  hills  stretching  to  the  sea,  at  the  south- 
western extremity  of  the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  and  thus 
far  from  Jezebel  and  Jezreel.  In  the  ravines  of  that 
district  Elijah  had  apparently  found  a  refuge,  from 
time  to  time,  and  here  the  great  trial  was  to  be  made 
between  Jehovah  and  his  Tyrian  rivals.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  go  over  the  particulars  of  the  incident. 
The  failure  of  the  priests  of  Baal  to  efi'ect  what  Elijah 
demanded  had  already  excited  the  multitude  gathered 
to  witness  the  scene,  and  this  enthusiasm  was  height- 
ened and  made  irrepressible  by  the  instant  vindication 
of  His  honour  on  the  part  of  Jehovah,  so  that  it  needed 
but  the  stern  word  of  Elijah  to  make  the  crowd  rush  on 
the  false  prophets  and  massacre  them  on  the  spot. 

Jezreel  lay  over  sixteen  miles  off,  and  thither  Ahab,  who 
had  remained  passive  under  the  spell  of  a  stronger  will 


ELIJAH.  327 

ttan  his  own,  now  hastened  his  chariot,  for  the  sky  had 
grown  black  with  clouds  and  threatened  to  jDrevent  his 
return,  if  it  were  not  immediate,  by  swelling  the  torrents 
of  the  plain.  But  the  physical  endurance  of  Elijah, 
even  after  the  exertions  of  the  day,  was  to  be  wonder- 
fully shown.  As  if  to  do  honour  to  Ahab  for  his  readi- 
ness to  put  the  question  between  God  and  the  idols  to 
the  test,  he  tightened  his  girdle,  as  Arabs  are  wont  to 
do,  and  thus  prepared,  ran  before  the  galloping  horses 
of  the  king,  the  whole  sixteen  miles,  to  the  entrance  of 
Jericho. 

But  he  had  to  do  with  one  on  whose  stability  of  pur- 
pose no  reliance  could  be  placed.  Once  more  in  Jezreel, 
beside  Jezebel,  the  ferocious  queen  knew  how  to  turn 
Ahab  from  his  friendly  leaning  towards  the  ancient 
faith,  and  from  Elijah  its  great  representative.  In 
keeping  with  the  weakness  of  his  character  he  at- 
tempted nothing  himself,  but  he  left  Jezebel  free  to 
threaten  Elijah  with  instant  death  as  soon  as  he  could 
be  found.  The  sudden  revulsion  from  the  excitement 
and  triumph  of  Carmel  to  proscription  and  imminent 
danger,  seemed  to  have  made  the  prophet's  triumph  over 
Baal  and  his  followers  worse  than  resultless,  and  the 
necessity  for  instant  solitary  flight,  without  a  moment's 
prejDaration,  at  last  broke  down  the  iron  strength  of 
even  his  soul.  Speeding  southwards  across  Judah,  in 
which  he  could  not  rest,  from  its  alliance  with  Ahab, 
he  found  himself  presently  on  the  edge  of  the  desert  at 
Beersheba,  and  thence,  after  being  iniraculously  fed,  he 
hastened  to  the  depths  of  the  great  mountain  chain  of 
Sinai.  He  had  done  his  utmost  for  God,  and  seemed 
as  if  forsaken.  His  foes  appeared  to  triumph.  The 
cause  so  dear  to  him  appeared  crushed,  and  he  sank 
well-nigh  into  despair. 


328  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

But  Horeb  was  not  tlie  place  for  a  man  of  such  strong 
energy^  so  fearless_,  so  faitMul.  A  vision  granted  liim 
of  tlie  presence  and  favour  of  tliat  Jeliovali  lie  liad  so 
faithfully  served^  once  more  roused  liim  to  fresh.  zeal_, 
and  led  liim  to  bend  bis  steps  back  again  to  tbe  abodes 
of  men.  He  could  not,  however,  venture,  except  for 
passing  moments,  into  the  territories  of  Ahab,  or  even 
of  Judah,  but  went  first  to  Syria,  where  he  had  been 
commissioned  to  anoint  Hazael  as  the  future  king, 
though,  to  do  so,  the  reigning  dynasty  of  Benhadad 
would  need  first  to  be  displaced.  Years  after,  it  was 
rudely  thrust  aside  by  the  common  Eastern  solution  of 
political  difiiculties — murder.  Nor  was  this  the  only 
matter  in  which  Elijah  was  ordered  to  carry  out  the 
peculiar  office  of  the  Hebrew  prophet,  by  directing  the 
politics  of  the  country.  The  sin  of  Ahab  had  finally 
drawn  on  him  the  Divine  sentence  of  degradation  from 
the  throne,  for  himself  and  his  dynasty,  and  another 
was  to  be  consecrated  in  his  room  while  he  still  reigned. 
The  choice  fell  on  Jehu,  as  a  zealous  supporter  of 
Jehovah,  destined  to  destroy  the  idolatrous  house  of 
Omri,  and  found  a  dynasty  faithful  to  the  national  re- 
ligion. In  another  than  a  theocracy  the  consecration  of 
a  subject  as  future  king  would  be  the  most  criminal 
treason,  for  there  could  be  no  more  direct  incentive  to 
conspiracy  and  revolution,  but  in  Israel  it  was  only  the 
legal  execution  on  an  offending  ruler  of  the  sentence  of 
his  superior — the  true  Lord  of  the  land — Jehovah,  with 
whom  rested  the  absolute  right  to  raise  to  the  throne  or 
to  cast  down  from  it. 

After  the  first  Syrian  war  Elijah  returned  once  more 
to  the  territory  of  Israel,  but  remained,  as  before,  far 
from  the  court  and  capital.  A  tragic  incident  was, 
however,  to  call  him  to  both  for  a  moment.     Ahab,  in 


ELIJAH.  329 

Ms  desire  to  enlarge  tlie  gardens  of  his  palace  at 
Jezreel,  had  set  his  heart  on  buying  a  vineyard  which 
bordered  it,  but  the  owner,  Naboth,  refused  to  sell  it. 
Like  a  spoiled  child,  that  could  not  get  all  its  fancies 
indulged,  Ahab  let  the  disappointment  prey  on  him  till 
it  was  noticed  by  Jezebel,  who  had  no  such  scruples  to 
overcome  in  gaining  her  ends  as  kept  back  Ahab.  Once 
more  she  showed  herself  his  bad  angel.  Concocting  a 
deep-laid  plot,  she  raised  an  accusation  of  blasphemy 
against  the  innocent  Naboth,  and,  by  the  craven  assis- 
tance of  the  officials  of  the  town,  had  him  and  his  sons 
stoned  to  death.  Ahab  himself  would  never  have  acted 
thus,  but  he  became  partner  in  the  guilt  by  taking  the 
vineyard,  which  fell  to  his  hands  as  its  result. 

The  news  of  this  hideous  crime  brought  Elijah  once 
more  to  Jezreel.  Ahab  had  ridden  with  two  attendants 
to  the  new  property,  acquired  at  such  a  cost,  to  take 
possession  of  it,  and  to  plan  its  incorporation  with  his 
grounds,  when  suddenly  he  was  confronted  by  the 
dreaded  prophet.  When  he  had  seen  Elijah  last  he  had 
been  honoured  by  him  for  his  action  against  the  pro- 
phets of  Baal,  but  now  the  hated  man  stood  there  to 
arraign  and  condemn  him  and  his  house.  The  stern 
Witness  for  Jehovah  had  no  longer  any  pity  in  his 
denunciation :  the  blood  of  Ahab  would  be  shed  in  the 
spot  which  had  been  stained  by  that  of  Naboth,  and  his 
house  would  be  rooted  out  from  the  land. 

The  close  of  Elijah's  life  saw  the  appointment  of 
Elisha  as  his  sjiccessor,  and  then  followed  his  mys- 
terious translation  to  heaven  without  his  having  seen 
death.  Alone  of  men  he  once  again  reappeared  on 
earth,  after  having  left  it  without  suffering  the  change 
of  mortality.  On  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  he 
stood  as  the  representative  of  the  Prophets,  with  Moses 


330 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


tlie  representative  of  tlie  Law,  to  do  homage  to  Him  by 
whom  both  were  superseded. 

He  was  in  every  way  a  type  of  the  Old  Dispensation. 
His  mission,  like  that  of  the  wind,  the  lightning,  and 
the  tempest,  was  from  God;  but  as  these  were  only  the 
precursors  of  the  still  small  voice,  so  he  was  but  the 
forerunner  of  the  calmer  and  more  Divine  manifesta- 
tion in  a  lovino^  and  tender  Saviour. 


Orientai.  Steeet,  with  Jews  Peating  at  the  Appeaeance  of  the  New  Mooit. 


ELISHA. 


THE  loneliness  that  liad  oppressed  even  tlie  spirit 
of  Elijali  when  he  fled  to  Horeb,  was  soon  after 
relieved  by  the  faithful  attendance  of  a  companion  and 
helper,  who  was  very  much  the  same  to  him  as  Joshua 
had  been  to  Moses,  the  great  prophet  of  the  nation. 
By  Divine  direction  he  passed  a  spot  in  the  deep  course 
of  the  Jordan,  about  three  hours  south  of  Bethshean, 
called  Abel  Meholah — "  the  meadow  of  the  dance  " — 
on  his  way  north  to  Damascus.  It  was  one  of  the  few 
reaches  of  arable  land  in  the  sunken  bed  of  the  river, 
below  the  Lake  of  Galilee,  and  was,  doubtless,  almost 
tropically  fruitful,  as  its  position  secured  it  almost  more 
than  a  tropical  heat  in  the  moist  air  of  the  stream. 

A  large  part  of  the  land  here  belonged  to  one 
Elisha — '^  El  is  his  salvation  " — the  son  of  a  personage 
known  as  "  Shaphat '' — ''  The  Judge '' — most  probably 
a  local  judicial  dignitary.  Elisha  had  given  himself  to 
the  farming  of  his  ample  inheritance,  and  like  a  prudent 
and  busy  man,  though  he  had  eleven  ploughs  going 
when  Elijah  passed,  was  himself  guiding  a  twelfth,  at 
once,  we  may  suppose,  for  economy  and  oversight.  His 
house  was  most  probably  on  the  higher  land,  above  the 
deep  sultry  cleft  where  his  acres  lay. 

In  such  a  man,  surrounded  with  all  the  comforts  of 


331 


332 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 


an  easy  competence^  Elijali  had  been  instructed  to  find 
his  future  assistant  and  friend.  Nor  was  he  dis- 
appointed. Approaching  him  as  he  was  ploughing, 
the  prophet — well  known  by  his  dress  and  hair — threw 
over  him  his  sheepskin  mantle,  as  if  to  claim  him  as 
his  own,  and  passed  on,  leaving  the  significant  act  to 
work  its  own  effect.  Elisha  at  once  understood  its 
meaning,  left  the  oxen,  and  ran  after  Elijah,  who  had 


f^ . 


Modern  Egyptian  'Plovg-b..-  Fiom  L' Egrpte,  Eiat  Moderr.e. 

hurried  away.  "Let  me,  I  pray  thee,"  said  he,  '^kiss 
my  father  and  my  mother,  and  then  I  will  follow  thee." 
"Gro,  turn  back  (to  your  father's  house),"  replied  Elijah, 
"(but  remember)  what  I  have  done  to  thee;  (hence- 
forth thou  art  consecrated  to  Jehovah)  ! "  One  last 
parting  with  those  he  loved,  and  he  was,  henceforth, 
Elijah's  faithful  attendant,  rendering  him  all  personal 
service,  and  at  the   same  time,   preparing  to  take  hia 


ELISHA. 


333 


place  wlien  lie  should  be  removed.  We  must  think  of 
him  as  a  young  man,  when  thus  summoned  to  leave  all 
and  follow  the  prophet,  for  we  find  him  engaged  in  his 
ofl&ce  as  prophet  more  than  sixty  years  after.^ 

Elisha  was  in  many  respects  the  opposite  of  his  illus- 
trious master.  Though  he  looked  un  him  as  the  ideal, 
to  possess  whose  spirit  in  double  measure  was  the 
highest  honour,  his  disposition  was  apparently  gentler, 
more  tender,  and  sympathetic.  They  both  lived  at  a 
time  when  the  decay  of  religion  and  morals  had  come 
to  their  worst  in  Israel,  and  idolatry  had  even  begun,  to 


The  Syeiak  Plough  of  the  Pbesent  Dat, 

1.    The  Plough.        2.    The  Pole.        3.    The  Share  (various), 
or  Plough  Tail.       6.    Yokes. 


4.    The  Handle, 


persecute  the  ancient  faith.  Prophets  who  rose  in  such 
days  and  stood  loyally  by  the  creed  of  their  fathers, 
could  hardly  avoid  occasional  sternness.  Wherever  they 
turned  they  saw  apostasy  and  crime.  The  very  schools 
of  the  prophets  had  become  infected  Avith  the  general 
taint,  for  Ahab  could  gather  together  four  hundred 
false  prophets  ^  at  a  time — false  prophets  of  Jehovah, 
not  of  Baal. 

^  2  Kings  xiii.  14.  Ehsha  died  in  the  reign  of  Joash.  From 
the  fourth  year  before  Ahab's  death  to  the  second  year  of  Joash 
was  sixty-five  years.  ^  2  Chron.  xviii.  5. 


334         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEKS. 

Sucli  times  left  tlieir  impress  on  both  Elijali  and 
Elisha,  for  both  were  marked  by  a  fiery  zeal  hardly  in 
keeping  with  our  gentler  conceptions  of  the  religious 
character ;  both  were  occasionally  stern  and  harsh  in 
their  treatment  of  the  ofi'ending^  though  both — insen- 
sible to  flattery  or  self-interest — showed  a  uniform 
loftiness  in  presence  of  the  great  which  commands  our 
admiration. 

Elijah  led  a  wandering  restless  life  of  poverty  and 
hardship_,  and  Elisha  forsook  comparative  affluence  to 
be  his  lowly  attendant.  But  here  the  resemblance  in 
their  mode  of  life  almost  ends.  Elijah  was  a  true  son 
of  the  desert.  The  wild  gorge  of  the  Cherith,  the 
shaggy  ravines  of  Carmel^  the  shrubs  of  the  Desert, 
the  cave  at  Horeb_,  were  his  natural  haunts.  He  never 
entered  a  city  except  to  deliver  some  message^  and  leave 
again  for  the  open  spaces  of  nature,  where  alone  he 
breathed  free.  Elisha,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  citizen 
from  first  to  last.  JSTo  sooner  is  Elijah  removed,  than 
he  settles  at  the  newly  restored  town  of  Jericho,  where 
a  school  of  the  prophets  attracted  him.  He  goes 
thence  to  .Samaria,  where  he  occupied  a  house  as  a 
townsman,^'  and  shared  in  the  ordinary  life  of  the  day. 
So  thoroughly,  indeed,  is  he  a  venerated  citizen,  that 
the  king  himself  comes  to  visit  him  as  he  lies  a-dying.^ 

Elisha  lived  and  acted  as  prophet  in  the  reign  of  six 
kings  of  Israel.  He  appears  to  have  joined  Elijah 
three  or  four  years  before  Ahab^s  death,  and  thus  knew 
all  the  story  of  that  ruler's  weakness  and  sin.  Ahaziah's 
reign  was  a  brief  episode  of  two  years,  for  he  died  pre- 
maturely by  a  fall  through  the  lattice  of  one  of  the 
palace  windows,  which  had,  perhaps,  given  way  as  he 

1  2  Kings  V.  3 ;  vi.  32  ;  xiii.  17. 
*  2  Kings  xiii.  14. 


ELISHA.  335 

leaned  on  it.  Joram,  another  son  of  Ahab,  followed  on 
the  thronOj  and  held  it  for  twelve  years ;  and  under 
him,  Elisha  showed  that  he  had  inherited  all  the 
lofty  independence  of  Elijah.  Joram  had  put  away 
the  image  of  Baal_,  which  Ahab  had  sanctioned,  and 
would  not  allow  his  mother,  Jezebel,  who  was  still 
living,  to  restore  it,  but  he  retained  the  ox-worship  of 
Bethel  and  Dan.  He  and  Jehoshaphat,  whose  son 
married  one  of  Joram's  sisters,  had  gone  to  war  with 
Moab,  and  Elisha  had  attended  the  army — in  what 
capacity  is  not  told.  A  diiSiculty  having  risen  from 
the  want  of  water,  both  kings  Avaited  on  the  prophet 
for  instructions  ;  but  the  humble  prophet,  grand  in  the 
consciousness  of  his  high  office,  and  in  the  scorn  of 
one  identified,  at  least  by  birth,  with  Ahab  and  Jezebel, 
disdained  to  speak  with  Joram,  and  told  him  to  go  to 
the  prophets  of  his  father  and  mother.  Nor  would  he 
condescend  to  talk  with  him,  even  when  humbly  asked 
by  the  king  to  do  so.  Repeating  the  form  of  assevera- 
tion he  had  learned  from  Elijah,  he  only  answered,  ^^As 
the  Lord  of  hosts  liveth,  before  whom  I  stand,  were  it  not 
that  I  regard  the  presence  of  Jehoshaphat  the  king  of 
Judah  I  would  not  look  toward  thee,  nor  see  thee.'^  A 
brave  heart  this,  that  feared  the  face  of  no  living  man ! 
The  respect  in  which  Elisha  was  held  by  the  people, 
prevented  any  bad  results  from  such  stern  puritan  blunt- 
ness,  and,  besides,  the  aid  rendered  by  the  prophet  to 
the  army  had  shown  his  honest  patriotism.  But  the 
campaign  against  Moab  failed,  and  Benhadad  was  hence 
encouraged  to  make  another  determined  invasion  from 
Syria,  to  try  to  subdue  Israel.  Samaria  itself  was 
closely  besieged.  Elisha  had  come  to  live  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  town,  and  thither  Joram  often  went  from 
the  upper  city,  where  the  palace  stood,  to  consult  him. 


336  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

His  fame  spread  even  to  the  camp  of  tlie  enemy,  wliere 
it  was  currently  believed  tliat  lie  revealed  to  tlie  king 
of  Israel  even  tlie  words  spoken  by  Benliadad  in  liis 
sleeping  cliamber.^  Elista  counselled  firm  resistance, 
and  promised  deliverance,  but  so  far  from  tke  siege 
being  raised,  famine  raged  in  Samaria,  to  sucb  a  degree 
that  a  woman  was  detected  eating  the  flesh  of  her  own 
child. 

Shocked  at  a  discovery  so  terrible,  Joram  burst  into 
wild  despairing  fury  against  the  prophet  who  had 
hindered  him  from  yielding  to  the  enemy,  and  sent  a 
soldier  to  behead  him  at  once.  Elisha  was  deliberating 
with  the  elders  of  the  city  on  the  measures  to  be  taken, 
when  the  messenger  arrived.  Admittance  was  refused 
him,  and  when  the  king  himself  came  to  see  why  his 
commands  were  not  carried  out,  he  was  calmly  told  that 
the  next  day  would  see  the  city  delivered,  as,  indeed,  it 
was. 

Such  an  incident,  following  all  that  had  preceded, 
and  added  to  the  fact  that  Elisha  had  been  the  disciple 
and  servant  of  Elijah,  raised  him  still  more  in  popular 
reverence,  but  his  relations  with  Joram  were  henceforth 
broken  ofi",  after  his  life  had  been  thus  threatened. 
Nor  did  the  king  act  as  if  he  wished  to  stand  well  with 
him.  Concessions  were  once  more  made  to  Jezebel 
in  favour  of  her  idols,  and  their  worship  was  restored, 
apparently  in  its  former  splendour. 

In  such  circumstances  Elisha  withdrew  to  Damascus. 
There,  he  found  Benhadad  seized  with  some  illness,  and 
was  presently  consulted  by  him  as  to  the  hope  of 
his  recovery.  An  officer  of  the  court,  by  name  Hazael, 
had  already,  long  before,  been  secretly  anointed  by 
Elijah  as  king  of  Syria,  and  him  the  unsuspecting 
*  2  Kiii^s  vi.  12. 


ELISHA.  387 

Bonhadad  now  sent  to  Elisha,  witli  customary  presents. 
The  prophet  read  the  heart  of  the  messenger,  and 
returned  an  ambiguous  answer  in  keeping  with  the 
future  he  foresaw.  Hazael  was  determined  that  the 
king  should  die_,  if  not  of  this  sickness,,  then  by  violence. 
'^  Benhadad's  sickness/^  said  Elisha,  "  was  not  mortal, 
yet  he  should  die."  In  saying  so  the  tears  fell  from  his 
eyes,  at  the  thought  of  the  misery  Hazael  would  bring 
on  Israel. 

The  catastrophe  was  not  long  delayed.  Hazael,  the 
next  day,  took  a  thick  cloth,  dipped  it  in  water,  spread 
it  on  Benhadad's  face  as  he  lay  in  his  bath,  and  suf- 
focated him  :  then  quietly  ascended  the  throne  in  his 
stead  !  ^  His  accession  was  the  ruin  of  Joram,  but  the 
incidents  connected  with  this  will  come  more  naturally 
in  a  sketch  of  the  story  of  Jehu. 

When  Joram  had  perished,  Elisha  was  sorely  tried 
by  his  successor,  the  fierce  champion  of  Jehovah- 
worship,  through  his  reign  of  twenty-eight  years,  for 
the  worship  of  the  ox-symbols  of  Bethel  and  Dan  was 
still  retained.  The  apparent  necessity  of  preventing 
the  people  from  going  to  Jerusalem  proved  so  strong, 
that  the  policy  of  Jeroboam  was  perpetuated  by  the 
new  djmasty,  as  it  had  been  by  those  before  it.  The 
moral  corruption  of  Israel  was,  in  fact,  deeply  seated, 
and  the  worship  of  Jehovah  had  lost  its  hold  on  the 
mass,  else  such  a  state  of  things  could  not  have  been 
maintained.  The  spirit  of  Elisha  must  have  grieved 
day  by  day  at  the  disappointment  of  his  hopes,  alike  as 
a  patriot  and  a  prophet.  Not  only  had  he  failed  to 
bring  about  a  restoration  of  the  ancient  faith :  he  had 
the  sorrow  of  witnessing  the  first  steps  towards  the 
political  destruction  of  the  kingdom^  for,  in  Jehu's 
*  2  Kings  viii.  15. 

2 


338  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS 

reign,  Hazael,  true  to  Elisha's  predictions,  wrested  tlie 
splendid  territory  of  Baslian  and  Gilead,  beyond  the 
Jordan,  from  Israel.  The  tribes  of  Reuben  and 
Manasseb  were  tbus  separated  from  tbeir  brethren  and 
united  to  a  heathen  monarchy,  nearly  a  century  and  a 
half  before  the  rest  of  their  brethren  were  carried  off 
to  Assyria. 

The  reign  of  Jehoaliaz,  son  of  Jehu,  followed,  with  a 
temporary  deliverance  of  the  territory  east  of  the 
Jordan,  but  no  abiding  recovery  of  the  former  glory  of 
Israel.  Whatever  success  was  at  any  time  gained  must 
have  been  speedily  lost,  for  we  are  told  that  Syria  left 
the  king  only  a  body-guard  of  fifty  horsemen,  a  state 
equipage  of  ten  chariots,  and  a  nominal  army  of  ten 
thousand  men.  '^  The  king  of  Syria,"  says  the  inspired 
chronicle,  '^''liad  destroyed  them,  and  had  made  them 
like  the  dust  by  threshing."  Nor  was  there  any  im- 
provement in  the  religious  bearing  of  the  nation,  for 
not  only  were  the  ox-symbols  of  Jehovah  retained,  but 
the  '^  grove  "  and  the  worship  of  Baal  still  flourished  in 
Samaria. 

Elisha's  life  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close  when  the 
seventeen  years  of  the  reign  of  Jehoahaz  ended,  and 
his  son  Joash  ascended  the  throne.  For  sixty  years  the 
now  hoary-headed  man  of  God  had  been  witnessing 
for  Jehovah  among  the  people,  but  while  they  had 
honoured  him  with  outward  respect,  they  had  turned  a 
deaf  ear  to  his  entreaties  to  return  to  the  faith  of 
ancient  days.  He  had  wrought  miracles,  and  taught  in 
their  streets,  but  their  hearts  were  set  in  them  to  do 
evil,  and  neither  the  fiery  zeal  of  Elijah  nor  the  more 
gentle  and  tender  spirit  of  his  successor  availed  to  save 
them. 

We  catch  a  last  glimpse  of  the  prophet  in  the  opening 


ELISHA.  339 

years  of  tlic  reign  of  Joasli.  Ho  had  fallen  sick  of  his 
last  illness^,  and  word  ran  tlirougli  tlie  city  that  he  was 
about  to  die.  All  classes  had  long-  revered  him,  and 
even  in  the  palace  his  venerable  dignity  was  held  in 
profound  respect.  The  king  himself,  to  testify  the 
reverence  due  to  one  so  blameless  in  character,  and 
linked  so  closely  with  the  distant  past  and  its  great 
prophet-hero,  Elijah,  came  down  to  the  lower  town 
where  he  resided,  to  see  him  once  more.  About  sixty 
years  had  passed  since  the  dying  man  had  stood  beside 
Jordan,  and,  as  Elijah  was  taken  from  him,  had  cried 
out  in  the  bitterness  of  his  sorrow,  '^My  father,  my 
father,  the  chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen  there- 
of,"— as  if  he  felt  that  he  whom  he  was  losing  was  the 
true  defence  and  glory  of  the  land — worth  more  than 
a  royal  host,  in  the  strength  his  presence  lent  it. 
Perhaps  the  words  were  a  familiar  expression  of 
supreme  honour,  for  now  Joash  used  them  again  of 
Elisha.  '^  He,  not  the  forces  of  cavalry  and  footmen," 
sobbed  the  king-,  ^^was  the  true  bulwark  of  the  king- 
dom, had  he  only  been  duly  heeded  ! "  The  blessing 
was  brightening  when  about  to  take  its  flight. 

That  the  high  praise  was  just,  was  to  be  shown  even 
from  a  bed  of  mortal  sickness.  '^  Open  the  window, 
eastward,"  said  the  dying  seer ;  and  on  the  king  forth- 
with doing  so,  the  command  to  shoot  was  added.  As 
the  arrow  sped,  the  voice  of  the  prophet  was  heard 
saying,  ^'  The  arrow  of  the  Lord's  deliverance,  and  the 
arrow  of  deliverance  from  Syria :  for  thou  shalt  smite 
the  Syrians  in  Aphek  till  thou  hast  consumed  them." 

But  the  promised  victory  was  shorn  of  its  full  results 
by  a  listlessness  which  proved  still  more  vividly  how 
much  more  the  kingdom  depended  on  the  prophet  than 
on  its  ruler.     '^  Take  the  arrows  and  smite  the  ground," 


S40 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 


said  Elislia  once  more.  Had  Joash  been  a  man  of 
energy  or  soul^  he  would  have  expended  his  quiver  in 
doing  so,  after  the  intimation  he  had  heard  of  triumph 
over  the  deadly  enemies  of  his  throne  being  symbolised 
by  a  similar  act.  He  was  content,  however,  'to  shoot 
three  arrows,  and  then  desisted,  and  thus  won  only  a 
partial  victory  instead  of  finally  crushing  his  foe. 

Our  limits  forbid  detailed  enumeration  of  the  private 
incidents,  as  they  may  be  called,  of  Elisha's  life. 
Strange  to  say,  his  fame  has  in  great  measure  faded 
before  the  grander  figure  of  his  precursor  and  master, 
Elijah,  but  the  significant  fact  remains  that  a  larger 
space  is  accorded  him  in  the  sacred  narrative  than  is 
granted  any  other  prophet. 


\A^,...^>'-^v-Vx^ 


A!^1^^ 


Baal-Woeship  (fkom  a  Babylonian-  Ci-lindeb). 

A  bamdoor-fowl,  on  the  right  side  of  the  illustration,  is  the  earliest  notice  Ol 
this  familiar  bird. 


T 


NAAMAN,  THE  SYKIAN/ 

HE  rise  and  fall  of  States  is  sudden  or  more  slow  a3 
-JL_  an  age  is  more  barbarous  or  civilized.  In  rude^ 
unsettled  times  a  skilful  leader  throws  down  the  bound- 
aries of  kingdoms  in  a  single  campaign  and  erects  an 
empire  in  their  place.  Charlemagne  extended  his  sway 
from  the  Atlantic  to  Bohemia^  and  from  the  Ebro  and 
Calabria  to  the  German  Ocean  and  the  Baltic.  The 
Arabs  in  seventy  years  subdued  the  whole  north  of 
Africa,  from  Egypt  to  Morocco,  and  nearly  all  Spain. 
This  century,  indeed,  has  seen  the  French  empire 
stretch  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Vistula,  and  from  Sicily 
to  the  Baltic,  but  it  was  the  passing  phenomenon  of 
a  wild  political  enthusiasm,  and  passed  away  like  a 
sudden  tempest,  leaving  the  ancient  landmarks  much 
as  it  found  them. 

In  the  East,  even  till  recent  times,  the  political 
divisions  of  mankind  depended  in  each  generation  on 
the  fortune  of  some  conqueror.  The  single  reign  of 
David  saw  the  Jewish  kingdom  expand  from  the  petty 
centre  it  had  originally  held,  to  the  borders  of  Egypt 
and  the  Gulf  of  Akaba  on  the  south,  and  to  the  valley 

*  The  people  called  Kharn  on  the  Egyptian  monuments  are  the 
Syrians.  They  are  represented  with  ear-rings  of  a  peculiar 
ghape,  and  they  wear  crosses  round  their  necks. 

341 


342  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

of  tlie  Orontes  and  tlie  line  of  the  Euphrates  on  the 
north  and  north-east.  But  it  fell  in  the  next  generation, 
on  the  breaking  up  of  the  monarchy  under  Rehoboam. 
Western  Asia  again  consisted  of  a  number  of  small 
principalities,  constantly  fighting  with  each  other,  and 
inviting  the  first  invader  by  their  weakness. 

The  ancient  Assyrian  monarchy  had  been  for  a  time 
enfeebled,  we  hardly  know  by  what  causes,  during  the 
reigns  of  David  and  Solomon,  and  thus  the  way  had 
been  opened  for  the  conquests  of  the  former.  But  they 
had  always  been  insecure,  for,  even  in  Solomon's  time, 
a  military  adventurer — Rezon — was  able  to  set  up  an 
independent  Syrian  kingdom,  with  Damascus  for  capital. 
This  kingdom  had  become  so  powerful  in  the  genera- 
tion after  Jeroboam's  secession  that  King  Asa  of  Judah 
was  fain  to  call  in  its  aid  against  Baasha,  the  founder 
of  the  second  Israelitish  dynasty,  and  was  saved  from 
further  molestation  for  the  time  by  its  help.  The  king 
of  Syria  who  rendered  this  useful  service  was  Benhadad 
I. — ^'  The  Sun- worshipper '' — grandson  of  the  Rezon  of 
David  and  Solomon's  time.  Under  him,  in  the  days  of 
Omri,  Israel  suffered  greatly,  not  only  losing  territory 
on  the  north,  but  being  forced  to  allow  a  Syrian  envoy 
to  live  in  Samaria,  as  a  token  of  subjection.  Syria  was 
now  a  strong  empire,  barring  the  way  of  Assyria  towards 
the  west,  and  even  threatening  the  Euphrates. 

Benhadad  II.  found  himself  face  to  face  with  this 
dangerous  enemy.  Shalmaneser  II.  was  then  the 
Assyrian  king,  and  was  as  warlike  as  his  predecessors. 
Syria  could  hold  its  own  with  Israel,  but  the  balance 
was  more  even  between  it  and  the  ruler  of  Nineveh* 
The  Book  of  Kings  informs  us  of  Benhadad's  wars  with 
Ahab,  in  which,  though  thrice  defeated,  twice  in  the 
field,  and  once  after  the  unsaccessfui  siege  of  Samaria, 


NAAMAN,   THE    SYRIAN. 


343 


he  was  yet  able  to  resist  Israel  at  Kamoth-Gilead,  and 
to  liold  tlie  district  beyond  the  Jordan. 


ASSYEIAWS    FORCING   TIIK    PASSAGE    OF    A    RiVER:    KoU^Unjik. 

Singularly  enough,    the  Assyrian  tablets    recovered 
from  the  ruins  of  Nineveh,  record  different  campaigns 


844  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

of  Shalmaneser  against  this  Benliadad.  The  Syrian 
league  included  many  States,  and  had  for  its  object 
resistance  to  Assyria.  But  Shalmaneser  was  deter- 
mined to  annex  the  territories  of  the  league  to  his 
empire  if  possible,  and  the  details  he  has  left  in  relation 
to  his  efforts  to  do  so  throw  great  light  on  the  condition 
and  resources  of  his  opponents. 

He  relates  that  on  his  first  invasion  he  found  himself 
opposed  by  a  force  under  Benhadad,  consisting  of  1200 
chariots,  1200  ^^  carriages,"  and  20,000  infantry — the 
contingent  of  Benliadad  himself ;  by  700  chariots,  700 
carriages,  and  10,000  infantry  of  Hamath,  in  Lebanon ; 
2000  chariots,  and  10,000  infantry  of  Ahab  of  Israel;  500 
infantry  of  the  "Goim;"  1000  Egyptians;  10  chariots 
and  10,000  men  of  Irqaanata ;  200  men  of  Arvad;  200  of 
Usanata;  30  chariots  and  10,000  men  of  Sizana ;  1000 
camels  from  Arabia,  and  a  force  from  the  king  of  the 
Ammonites.  The  battle  was  fiercely  contested,  so  that, 
though  nominally  victorious,  the  Assyrians  attempted 
nothing  more  that  season.  Four  years  later  (b.c.  850), 
Shalmaneser  invaded  Syria  again,  but  Benhadad  and  his 
allies,  not  waiting  to  be  attacked,  marched  out  against 
him,  and  seem  this  time  to  have  been  more  decisively 
successful  than  before,  for  Shalmaneser  ended  his  expe- 
dition abruptly.  In  the  next  year  the  attempt  to  conquer 
the  Syrian  league  was  renewed,  but  again  it  failed. 
Three  years  later  an  immense  army  was  marched  against 
Benhadad  and  his  wide  confederacy  once  more,  but  the 
invasion  was  still  vain.  The  resistance  was  too  brave  and 
powerful.  It  was  not  till  the  reign  of  Hazael,  Benhadad's 
murderer,  in  the  days  of  Jehu,  that  the  Syrian  power 
was  broken.     Then,  at  last,  Shalmaneser  triumphed. 

Naaman,  to  introduce  whose  story  this  sketch  of 
Syrian  history  was  necessary,  was  commander-in-chief 


NAAMAN,   THE   SYBIAN.  345 

of  Benliadad's  army,  and  held,  besides,  tlie  higliest 
dignity  in  tlie  state  as  tlie  subject  nearest  tlie  king.  He 
stood  in  sucli  special  favour,  we  are  told,  ''  because  by 
him  Jehovah  had  given  deliverance  to  Syria,'''  doubt- 
less by  his  successfully  repelling"  the  tremendous  peril 
of  the  Assyrian  invasions.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
bodily  strength  and  of  noble  presence,  and  must  have 
been  envied  for  his  glory  and  splendid  fortune  by  the 
nation  at  large,  and  even  by  neighbouring  people,  for 
he  was  the  Marlborough  or  Wellington  of  his  age. 

But,  as  in  the  case  of  one  of  the  greatest  Rajahs 
present  at  the  state  reception  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  at 
Delhi,  Naaman's  jewelled  turban  and  robes,  heavy  with 
pearl  and  gold,  could  not  hide  the  fact  that  he  was 
a  leper.  Had  he  been  a  Jew  this  would  have  shut 
him  out  from  society,  but  in  Syria  isolation  was  not 
thus  enforced  any  more  than  in  India  now.  Yet  it  was 
not  the  less  terrible  a  calamity  in  the  bodily  suffering 
and  the  deep  sense  of  humiliation  it  entailed. 

Ahab  had  been  dead  some  years  :  the  short  reign  of 
his  son  Ahaziah  had  passed,  and  Joram,  another  of  his 
sons,  reigned  over  Israel.  The  failure  of  Ahab's  cam- 
paign had  brought  a  lull  in  the  almost  constant  hostility 
between  Syria  and  the  Jewish  kingdom,  but  forays 
were  still  made  from  time  to  time,  perhaps  on  both  sides, 
by  the  border  populations,  on  each  other's  territory.  In 
one  of  these,  among  other  prisoners  carried  off  as  slaves 
by  the  Syrians,  was  a  young  Hebrew  girl  who  had  been 
bought  as  a  slave  to  wait  on  Naaman's  wife.  Struck 
by  the  misery  of  the  great  man,  her  owner,  she  be- 
thought herself,  with  the  quick  wit  of  her  race,  of  the 
prophet  Elisha,  in  Samaria,  and  told  her  mistress  that 
she  was  sure  he  could  eff'ect  a  cure,  and  presently  her 
words  were  carried  to  Benhadad. 


346  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

Glad  of  any  chance  of  serving  one  whom  lie  held  in 
such  honour^  the  king  instantly  resolved  that  Naaman 
should  try  what  the  wonder-worker  of  whom  he  thus 
heard  could  do.  An  official  letter  to  Joram  was  drawn 
up,  requesting  him  to  aid  in  the  matter^  and  rich 
presents  for  the  prophet,  to  secure  his  help,  were  pro- 
vided— the  gold  and  silver  coin  alone  amounting  to 
£12,000  of  our  money. 

Thus  prepared,  Naaman  set  out  for  Samaria  in  his 
chariot,  escorted  by  a  body-guard  of  cavalry,  and  duly 
delivered  his  master's  letter  to  Joram.  Benhadad  had 
written  with  a  heathen's  ignorance  of  the  character, 
and  perhaps  even  of  the  name  of  Elisha — knowing 
merely  that  it  was  said  leprosy  could  be  cured  in  Israel, 
but  leaving  it  to  the  king  of  the  land  to  take  what  steps 
were  needed,  by  summoning  the  wonder-worker  before 
him  and  requiring  him  to  relieve  Naaman.  But  Joram 
could  only  think  of  his  relations  to  Syria,  and  saw  a 
political  meaning  in  the  request.  It  seemed  to  him  a 
mere  pretext  for  a  fresh  quarrel,  and  the  fear  of  this 
so  alarmed  him,  as  the  letter  was  read  in  full  divan 
before  his  ministers,  that  he  rent  his  clothes  in  formal 
expression  of  his  distress. 

Meanwhile  Elisha  had  heard  of  the  great  Syrian's 
arrival,  of  the  letter  he  brought,  and  of  Joram's  per- 
plexity, and  hastened  to  relieve  him  by  a  message,  re- 
questing that  the  stranger  should  be  sent  to  him,  ^'  that 
he  might  know  there  was  a  prophet  in  Israel."  Naaman 
was  at  once  told,  and  forthwith  set  off  with  his  escort 
to  Elisha's  house,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city. 

Ignorance  of  the  ceremonial  laws  of  the  Jewish 
religion  seemed  now,  however,  likely  to  bring  the  visit 
to  an  impotent  conclusion.  Elisha,  as  a  strict  Jew, 
could  not  approach  a  leper,  and  therefore  sent  out  a 


NAAMAN,   THE    SYRIAN.  347 

messenger  to  Naaman  with .  instructions.  Accustomed 
to  Oriental  deference,  the  great  man  could  neither 
understand  nor  brook  such  a  fancied  slight.  Besides, 
Elisha's  prescription  seemed  almost  a  mockery,  for  it 
only  directed  the  leper  to  go  down  to  the  nearest 
Jordan  ford  and  wash  seven  times  in  the  waters. 
Haughty  and  quick-blooded,  though  open,  as  it  soon 
proved,  to  reason,  and  readily  yielding  to  a  better 
mood,  Naaman  felt  indignant,  and  loudly  expressed  his 
anger  to  his  retinue.  "I  thought,"  said  he,  "that  he 
would  surely  at  least  come  out  to  me,  and  stand  and 
call  on  the  name  of  Jehovah,  his  God,  and  pass  his 
hand  over  the  place,  and  remove  the  leprosy.  Instead 
of  that  he  has  only  sent  out  a  servant  to  me  !  As  to 
bathing  in  Jordan,  are  not  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers 
of  Damascus,  better  than  all  the  waters  of  Israel  ?  May 
I  not  wash  in  them  and  be  clean  ?  "  So  he  turned  his 
horses'  heads  and  drove  off  in  a  rage. 

Nor  was  he  without  apparent  grounds  for  his  anger. 
It  seemed  due  to  one  in  his  position,  who  had  come,  so 
far,  on  such  an  errand,  to  show  him  the  slight  respect 
of  coming  out  to  him ;  and,  as  to  the  Jordan,  its  troubled 
waters,  in  their  sunken  and  useless  course,  with  no  town 
on  their  banks,  as  they  rushed  down  their  steep,  in- 
accessible bed,  could  not  compare  with  the  streams  of 
the  glorious  Damascus.  Did  not  the  Abana  flow  pure 
as  crystal  from  the  snowy  Lebanon,  through  the  very 
streets  of  the  city,  amidst  wide  gardens  whose  fame 
was  spread  through  all  lands  ?  And  did  not  the 
Pharpar  flow  by  it  from  the  steep  sides  of  the  mighty 
Hermon  ? 

But  if  the  master,  for  the  time,  lost  his  ordinary 
calmness,  there  were  fortunately  some  round  him  who 
knew  how  to  bring  him  to  himself  again,  and  who  were 


348  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

as  sensible  as  faitliful.  They  reminded  liim  tliat  the 
prophet  had  asked  him  to  do  only  a  very  simple  thing, 
and  that  if,  as  was  assuredly  the  case,  he  would  will- 
ingly have  done  far  more  had  it  been  proposed,  he 
should  much  less  think  of  hesitating  to  comply  with 
what  only  offended  him  from  its  simplicity.  As  easily 
calmed  as  he  had  been  readily  offended,  Naaman's 
cavalcade  was  forthwith  turned  towards  the  chasm  of 
the  Jordan,  twenty-five  miles  off  in  a  straight  line  at 
its  nearest  point,  but  much  farther  in  the  distance  to  be 
travelled,  from  the  winding  of  the  ravines  down  which 
it  must  be  reached.  Once  gained,  there  was  no  reluc- 
tance in  precisely  obeying  the  injunctions  of  the  holy 
man,  and  the  result  showed  their  Divine  source. 
Dipping  himself  seven  times  in  the  sacred  stream,  his 
flesh  came  again  like  the  flesh  of  a  little  child,  and  he 
was  clean. 

Returning  at  once  to  Samaria,  he  drove  forthwith  to 
Elisha's  house  to  express  his  gratitude,  and  to  beg 
acceptance  of  some  outward  mark  of  it.  No  longer 
kept  back  by  Naaman's  uncleanness,  the  prophet  in- 
stantly came  out  to  meet  him,  but  the  honour  of  Jehovah 
seemed  to  forbid  his  accepting  any  reward,  lest  it 
should  appear  as  if  the  cure  were  only  on  a  footing 
with  the  mercenary  charms  and  rites  of  the  heathen 
priests,  with  whom  Naaman  was  familiar  at  Damascus. 

His  amazing  cure  had  wrought  a  great  change  in  the 
Syrian's  religious  feelings.  "  I  know,  now,"  said  he, 
"  that  there  is  no  God  in  all  the  earth  but  in  Israel," 
and  in  his  honest  enthusiasm  he  determined  that  hence- 
forth he  would  worship  Him  only.  But,  like  all  men 
of  his  age,  he  foresaw  a  difficulty,  which  he  begged 
Elisha  to  aid  him  in  overcoming.  He  fancied  that 
Jehovah,    like    other    gods   he   knew,    was   the    local 


NAAMAN,   THE    SYKIAN.  349 

divinity  of  Samaria^  and  tliat,  as  siicli,  prayer  could 
be  wortliily  and  witli  success  offered  to  Him,  only  on 
the  soil  of  Israel.  Would  Elislia,  therefore,  allow  liim 
to  take  back  to  Damascus  two  mules'  burden  of  earth, 
that  he  might  spread  it  out  on  a  chosen  and  well- 
guarded  spot,  and  thus  be  able  to  pray  and  present  his 
offerings  to  Jehovah,  as  it  were,  on  a  part  of  His  own 
land  ?  for  henceforth  he  would  offer  burnt-offering  to 
Jehovah  alone  and  would  sacrifice  to  no  other  god. 

One  more  word  was  added,  the  answer  to  which  is 
full  of  divine  instruction.  He  must  needs,  as  part  of 
his  official  duties,  attend  Benhadad  when  he  went  to 
the  temple  of  his  god  Eimmon,  and  when  the  king 
bowed  in  worship  he  could  not  avoid  bending  also  in 
outward  form — "Jehovah  pardon  thy  servant  in  this 
thing."  He  had  his  heart  and  his  true  homage,  though 
circumstances  demanded  the  formal  and  mere  external 
act.  The  only  answer  Elisha  gave  was — "  Go  in 
peace  ! " 

With  this  tender  dismissal  the  great  man  and  his 
retinue  turned  their  horses'  heads  once  more  towards 
Damascus. 


JEHU. 

THE  secession  of  Israel  from  the  two  soutliern  tribes 
miglit  very  naturally  liave  been  expected  to  secure 
a  large  prosperity  for  tliose  wbo  bad  tbus  shaken  off 
a  yoke  confessedly  beavy^  and  were  bencefortb  to 
govern  tbemselves.  Tbe  result^  bowever^  proved  bit- 
terly disappointing.  Tbe  religious  sentiment,,  wbicb 
bad  given  tbe  nation  as  a  wbole  its  unity  and  inspira- 
tion, was  rudely  disturbed  by  tbe  erection  of  new  local 
centres  of  worsbip,  and  it  was  degraded  by  a  dangerous 
approacb  to  tbe  idol-worsbip  of  tbe  countries  round. 
Tbe  inevitable  decay  of  religious  entbusiasm,  and  tbe 
growing  approximation  to  beatben  standards,  rapidly 
corrupted  tbe  springs  of  national  life,  and  as  tbe 
strengtb  of  a  people  depends  on  tbe  bealtby  tone  of 
individual  tbougbt  and  action,  tbe  national  vigour  faded 
witb  tbe  decline  of  puritanism. 

Nor  was  tbis  tbe  only  calamity.  Tbe  tbrone  of  tbe 
new  kingdom  bad  been  filled  by  tbe  leader  of  tbe 
revolt  from  Judab,  but  no  sucb  balo  of  splendid  associa- 
tions surrounded  bim  as  appealed  to  tbe  imagination 
in  favour  of  tbe  beirs  of  tbe  House  of  David.  Tbe 
reverence  and  prestige  wbicb  entrencb  a  dynasty  in  its 
honours  were  wanting.  One  revolution  bad  succeeded, 
and  tbere   was   no  reason  wby   otbers  sbould  not  be 

350 


JEHU.  351 

equally  successful.  It  is  true  of  all  movements  tliat 
they  are  faithful  to  the  spirit  of  their  origin.  The 
reign  of  Jeroboam  had  been  merely  that  of  an  energetic 
conspirator,  with  no  large  views  to  draw  towards  his 
house  the  ait'ections  of  his  subjects.  He  had  played 
with  the  national  religion  for  political  ends,  and  had 
raised  a  strong  army  to  guard  his  power. 

But  the  army  thus  trusted  never  forgot  that  Jeroboam 
was  in  reality  its  creature,  and  very  soon  tired  of  his 
family.  Nadab,  his  son,  fell  a  victim  to  a  conspiracy 
in  the  forces  at  Gibbethon.  The  son  of  the  new  king, 
Baasha,  was  murdered  by  Zimri,  an  officer  of  the 
cavalry,  and  Omri,  the  general-in-chief,  rose  in  his 
turn,  and  having  slain  all  other  competitors,  sew-ted 
himself  on  the  throne.  In  less  than  fifty  years  tl  ere 
had  been  three  dynasties. 

The  house  of  Omri  maintained  itself  longer  than  its 
predecessors.  Omri  himself,  Ahab,  Ahaziah,  and  Jeho- 
ram,  or  Joram,  had  reigned  in  all  forty-eight  years, 
when  another  revolution,  more  sweeping  than  any 
former  one,  rooted  out  the  third  dynasty  and  raised  up 
a  fourth. 

The  reign  of  Joram  had  lasted  for  twelve  years. 
They  had  been  marked  by  a  close  and  steady  alliance 
with  Judah,  dating  from  the  reign  of  Ahab,  and 
strengthened  by  intermarriages  between  the  two  houses. 
War  had  been  levied  against  Moab  by  the  two  king- 
doms unitedly,  in  the  earlier  years,  and  at  the  close  of 
his  reign  Joram's  nephew,  Ahaziah,  king  of  Judah,  was 
with  him  at  the  siege  of  Ramoth  Gilead,  and  perished 
shortly  after  in  his  company. 

Weak  and  vacillating  like  his  fathor,  Joram  had 
favoured  the  worship  of  Jehovah  and  that  of  Baal  alter- 
nately, and  had  by  turns  been  on  friendly  and  hostile 


352  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

terms  witli  Elislia.  The  distress  caused  by  tlie  siege  of 
Samaria,  it  is  likely,  had  led  to  the  last  fatal  change  in 
his  policy.  Furious  at  the  prophet  for  making  promises 
which  remained  so  long  unfulfilled  and  led  to  such 
widespread  suffering  as  the  citizens  of  Samaria  had  en- 
dured, he  seems,  doubtless  under  the  prompting  of  his 
mother  Jezebel,  to  have  restored  Baal  worship  in  all  its 
splendour  shortly  after  the  siege  had  been  raised.  His 
doing  so  was  the  immediate  cause  of  his  ruin. 

A  strong  party  in  the  State  and  in  the  army  had 
gradually  been  won  over  to  the  old  national  faith,  and 
to  them  this  apostasy  seemed  to  justify  any  measures 
for  removing  a  dynasty  so  evidently  hostile  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah.  As  usual,  the  feeling  came  to  a  head 
in  the  army,  still,  as  hitherto,  the  focus  of  all  revolu- 
tions. It  only  wanted  a  leader,  and  one  was  found  in 
Jehu. 

The  country  east  of  Jordan,  with  its  chief  town, 
Ramoth  Gilead — "  The  heights  of  Gilead  " — had  been 
wrested  from  Omri,  father  of  Ahab,  by  Benhadad  I,  of 
Syria,  but  it  was  too  fertile  to  be  left  permanently 
in  an  enemy's  hand,  without  an  attempt  to  regain  it. 
At  the  close  of  his  reign,  Ahab,  in  alliance  with  Jehosha- 
phat,  king  of  Judah,  had  availed  himself  of  temporary 
freedom  from  Syrian  invasion  to  besiege  Ramoth,  the 
key  to  the  district  ;  but  the  attempt  failed,  after  costing 
Ahab  his  life. 

During'  his  son  Ahaziah's  short  reign  nothing  could  be 
done ;  but  as  soon  as  Joram  had  crushed  the  Moabite  re- 
bellion, he  allied  himself  with  his  nephew  Ahaziah,  king 
of  Judah,  in  the  hope  that  their  united  forces  would 
secure  victory.  Nor  was  he  disappointed.  The  city 
was  taken,  and  held  by  Israel,  in  spite  of  every  effort 
of  Hazael  to  drive  them  out.     But  it  was  as  fatal  to  the 


JEHU.  353 

liouse  of  Omri  as  Gibbetton  bad  proved  to  tbat  of  Jero- 
boam. Abab  bad  been  mortally  wounded  at  tbe  former 
siege,  and  now  Joram  narrowly  escaped  tbe  same  fate^ 
for  be  was  bit  by  a  Syrian  arrow,  and  was  tbus  forced  to 
leave  tbe  army  and  return  to  Jezreel,  leaving  Jebu  in 
cbarge  of  tbe  town  and  tbe  soldiery. 

Tbe  moment  now  seemed  to  bave  come  for  a  success- 
ful conspiracy ;  tbe  moment  for  wbicb  Jebu  bad  been 
long  waiting.  Many  j-ears  before,  Elijab  bad  been  com- 
missioned by  God  to  anoint  bim  as  future  king,  and 
doubtless  did  so,  but  no  opportunity  for  a  revolution 
bad  offered.  He  bad  been  in  tbe  cbariot  witb  Abab 
wben  Elijab  appeared  in  tbe  vineyard  of  Nabotb,  and 
be  bad  beard  tbe  king's  doom  and  tbat  of  bis  bouse. 
A  master  of  dissimulation  and  reticence,  be  bad  feigned 
loyalty,  and  kept  bis  own  counsel  so  perfectly,  tbat  be 
retained  tbe  favour  not  only  of  Abab,  but  of  bis  sons, 
and  bad  risen  to  tbe  bigbest  posts  in  tbeir  service. 
Troubled  witb  no  tincture  of  religious  feeling,  be  yet 
bad  sbrewdness  enougb  to  feign  a  zeal  at  tbe  rigbt 
moment  for  Jebovab,  tbougb  be  affected  entbusiasm  for 
Baal  till  tbat  moment  came.  A  fiery  energy  cbaracter- 
ized  bim  as  a  soldier,  discovering  itself  even  in  bis 
cbariot-driving,  wbicb  was  always  reckless  to  a  proverb, 
and  at  times  almost  madly  furious ;  but  of  tbe  bigber 
qualities  of  a  general  or  politician  be  sbowed  no  trace. 

Tbe  crisis  of  Jebu's  long  pondered  conspiracy  came 
suddenly  at  last.  Wbile  still  in  Ramotb  Gilead,  at  tbe 
bead  of  tbe  army,  tbe  confidential  attendant  of  Elisba 
was  sent  burriedly  by  tbe  propbet  to  bim,  witb  tbe  com- 
mand to  anoint  bim  in  tbe  name  of  Jebovab,  as  king 
over  Israel,  for  tbe  special  purpose  of  smiting  down  tbe 
reigning  king  and  all  connected  witb  bim,  in  fulfilment 
of  tbe  curse  pronounced  long  before  against  tbe  race  of 

A    A 


354 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


Aliab.  The  messenger  found  Jeliu  sitting  in  counsel 
with  his  officers,,  and  having  called  him  apart,  instantly 
fulfilled  his  message,  and  forthwith  fled,  to  escape  pos- 
sible results.  '^^What  message  did  that  crack-brained 
fellow  bring  you  ?  ^'  asked  the  company,  when  Jehu  re- 
appeared ;  ''  had  he  bad  news  or  good  ?  '^  ^^  You  know 
that  man,  don^t  you,  and  his  errand  ?  ^'  replied  Jehu. 
But  on  their  saying  they  did  not,  he  frankly  told  them. 


Portion  op  a  Slab  feom  Ninbvbh,  showing  an  Asstbian  Chabiot. 

Things  proved  ripe  for  the  announcement.  On  the 
moment  all  rose,  and  stripping  off  their  outer  robes, 
cast  them  as  an  extemporized  carpet  of  state  for  the 
new  king,  on  the  floor,  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  of  the 
house,  which,  as  the  highest  place,  served  for  a  throne, 
on  the  steps  of  which  they  might  do  him  homage. 
Then^  as  was  done  of  old,  in  the  case  of  Absalom,  each 


JEHU.  355 

man  who  could  find  a  trumpet  seized  it^  and  with  shouts 
and  long  flourishes  proclaimed  Jehu  king.  They  evi- 
dently reckoned  on  the  acquiescence  of  the  troops,  and 
were  not  disappointed. 

Decision  and  energy  marked  the  first  steps  of  the 
chief  conspirator.  Calling  his  chariot  and  a  detach- 
ment of  cavalry,  he  instantly  set  off  at  the  utmost 
speed  to  Jezreel,  a  distance  of  sixty  or  seventy  miles, 
by  the  nearest  road;  down  the  slope  from  Eamoth, 
nearly  3,000  feet  above  the  sea ;  across  the  Jordan  to 
where,  long  after,  Archelais  stood ;  then  north  to  Beth- 
shean,  over  the  spurs  of  the  hills  of  Ephraim  ;  then  up 
the  Valley  of  Trembling,  famous  since  Gideon^s  day,  to 
the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  where  Jezreel  stood.  No  one 
was  allowed  to  go  to  the  king  to  put  him  on  his  guard, 
so  that  the  first  intimation  he  had  of  Jehu's  approach 
was  the  cry  of  the  warder  on  the  palace  tower,  that  a 
company  of  horse  was  approaching  rapidly.  A  first 
and  second  messenger,  sent  out  by  the  king  to  learn 
who  they  might  be,  rushing  on  thus  strangely,  were 
detained  by  Jehu.  At  last,  concluding  from  the  furious 
speed  of  the  cavalcade  that  it  must  be  a  visit  from  his 
general,  Joram,  though  still  weak,  ordered  his  chariot  to 
be  made  ready  to  go  out  to  learn  the  news,  and  asked 
his  nephew,  Ahaziah  of  Judah,  to  accompany  him.  He 
evidently  fancied  that  something  critical  had  happened 
at  Ramoth,  but  he  was  soon  undeceived.  Jehu  and  he 
met,  ominously,  at  the  vineyard  of  Naboth.  *'  What 
has  happened  ?  "  asked  Joram :  ^^  do  you  bring  news  of 
peace  or  war  ?  ''  Treason  had  now  no  reason  for  longer 
concealment.  "  What  peace,"  cried  Jehu,  ''  can  there 
be,  so  long  as  the  idolatrous  whoredoms  of  thy  mother 
Jezebel,  and  her  witchcrafts,  are  so  many  ?  " 

"  We  are  betrayed/'  said  Joram^  hurriedly  to  Ahaziah, 


356  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

and  fortliwitli  turned  liis  chariot  to  flee.  But  his  hour 
had  come^  for  an  arrow  from  Jehu's  bow  pierced  him 
through  the  next  moment,  and,  as  the  words  of  Elijah 
had  predicted,  his  body  fell  out,  and  lay  in  its  blood  in 
the  garden  of  JSTaboth.  JSTor  was  Ahaziah  more  for- 
tunate. As  one  of  the  race  of  Ahab,  he  too  w^as  in- 
cluded in  Jehu's  fierce  proscription,  and  being  overtaken 
at  Megiddo,  where  he  had  hoped  to  cross  the  Carmel 
range,  was  put  to  death. 

News  of  the  revolution  had  by  this  time  reached  the 
palace  at  Jezreel,  where  the  queen-mother,  Jezebel,  now 
an  old  woman,  resided.  True  to  itself,  the  haughty 
spirit  that  had  virtually  ruled  the  land  so  long,  resolved 
to  face  the  danger.  Arrayed  in  her  finest  robes,  she 
seated  herself  at  a  window,  and  sought  to  awe  Jehu  on 
his  approach,  by  reminding  him  of  the  fall  of  Zimri,  a 
conspirator  like  himself.  ^'  Throw  her  over  the  window," 
shouted  Jehu  to  her  attendants,  ^^  if  you  are  on  my  side." 
The  next  moment  her  eunuchs  had  seized  her  and  thrust 
her  out  of  the  open  lattice.  The  hoofs  of  Jehu's  horses 
and  the  wheels  of  his  chariots  completed  the  bloody 
work,  and  the  unburied  corpse  was  left  where  it  lay,  to 
be  eaten  by  the  town  dogs  before  morning. 

But  the  bloodthirsty  soul  of  the  new  king  was  not 
yet  slaked.  A  message  was  sent  to  Samaria-  with  a 
challenge  to  set  up  one  of  the  many  sons  of  Ahab, 
and  stand  an  attack  in  his  defence,  but  he  doubtless 
counted  on  all  opposition  being  overawed  by  what  had 
already  happened.  An  answer  of  profound  submission 
to  their  new  master,  who  had  already  murdered  two 
kingSj  was  returned.  "  If  it  be  so,"  replied  Jehu  to 
the  messengers,  "  send  me  the  heads  oi  every  one  of 
the  house  of  Ahab  by  this  time  to-moriow."  Baskets 
containing  the  heads  of  seventy  men  of  Joram's  kin- 


JEHU.  857 

dred,  brought   to    Jezreel  within  tlie   specified   time, 
attested  tlie  abjectness  of  tbeir  compliance. 

Blood  enough  seemed  to  have  been  shed,  but  there 
was  more  to  follow.  The  connections  of  Ahaziah,  king 
of  Judah,  the  nephew  of  Joram,  ignorant  as  yet  of 
what  had  happened,  were  on  their  way  to  salute  their 
relatives,  who  had  already  perished.  They,  too,  by  Jehu^s 
express  orders,  were  taken  alive,  that  he  might  have 
the  pleasure  of  ordering  their  execution,  which  he  pre- 
sently did.  They  had  the  blood  of  the  house  of  Ahab 
in  their  veins,  and  that  was  enough.  Every  one  con- 
nected with  it  in  any  way  was  put  to  death. 

An  ally  was  needed  to  carry  out  the  ulterior  designs 
of  the  grim  soldier.  He  was  determined  to  play  the 
part  of  a  zealot  for  Jehovah,  apparently  from  a  shrewd 
conviction  that  it  was  the  stronger  side,  as  shown  by  the 
support  of  the  army  against  Joram,  the  patron  of  Baal. 
Leaguing  himself  with  an  Arab  chief,  Jehonadab,  the 
son  of  Re  cab,  the  two  planned  the  utter  extirpation  of 
the  idolatrous  party.  ^'  Come,^^  said  Jehu,  "  and  see  my 
zeal  for  Jehovah."  Meanwhile,  to  the  people  at  large 
he  affected  undivided  loyalty  to  Baal  and  his  worship, 
and  ordered  the  priests  to  proclaim  a  great  gathering 
of  all  the  adherents  of  the  idol,  he  himself,  as  he  an- 
nounced, wishing  to  offer  a  great  sacrifice  to  it.  Mes- 
sengers were  sent  through  all  Israel  to  summon  every 
worshipper  of  Baal  to  the  high  festival,  with  instructions 
to  come  arrayed  in  the  festal  dress  of  the  idol. 

On  the  given  day  the  courts  of  the  huge  Baal  temple 
at  Samaria  were  crowded  with  a  vast  multitude  thus  at- 
tracted. No  one  who  worshipped  Jehovah  was  allowed 
to  enter.  And  now  Jehu  appearing  at  the  high  altar, 
offered  the  appropriate  sacrifices,  as  if  an  enthusiastic 
votary.     The  excitement  and  rejoicing  were  no  doubt 


358 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 


immense.  But  tlie  mask  was  no  longer  needed.  Soldiers 
had  been  set  at  every  door  to  prevent  any  one  escap- 
ing^ and  at  tlie  command  of  Jehu  bands  of  swordsmen 
entered  and  massacred  tlie  whole  great  crowd  in  cold 
blood.  The  existence  of  two  parties  in  the  state  had 
been  the  ruin  of  Joram ;  his  successor  was  determined 
there  should  be  only  one.     The  huge  idol  of  Baal,  and 


AssYBiAN  Kings. 

the  images  of  other  gods  in  the  outer  courts^  were 
forthwith  dragged  from  their  places  and  destroyed, 
the  temple  thrown  down,  and  its  site  given  up  to  the 
most  degrading  uses. 

"With  all  this  remorseless  zeal  there  was  no  honest 
enthusiasm  for  the  true  God.  ^^  He  took  no  heed/^  says 
the  inspired  record,  "  to  walk  in  ihe  law  of  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel  with  all  his  heart.''     He  maintained  the 


JEHU.  359 

ox-worsMp  of  Bethel  and  Dan,  like  all  his  predecessors, 
contenting  himself  with  having  exterminated  the  party- 
identified  with  the  dynasty  he  had  overthrown. 

As  a  ruler  he  showed  little  vigour  or  capability. 
Syria,  still  eager  to  crush  Israel,  had  more  success  than 
it  had  achieved  under  Joram,  for  Hazael,  the  king  of 
Damascus,  was  able  to  reconquer  the  district  beyond  the 
Jordan,  which  Joram  had  so  bravely  won. 

Jehu's  reign  is  noteworthy  as  the  first  in  which  the 
doom  of  the  whole  kingdom  is  foreshadowed  by  the 
advancing  power  of  Assyria.  HazaeFs  conquest  of 
Gilead  must  have  taken  place  early,  for  Shalmaneser 
II.,  king  of  Assyria,  has  recorded  on  the  tablets  and 
the  obelisk  of  his  reign  found  at  Nineveh,  that  he 
defeated  the  Syrian  king  in  the  district  of  Lebanon, 
inflicting  a  loss  of  160,000  men,  1,221  chariots,  and  470 
carriages,  which  fell  into  Shalmaneser's  hands  along 
with  the  camp  of  Hazael.  Failing  to  take  Damascus, 
the  Assyrian  then  turned  to  Bashan  and  Gilead,  formerly 
territory  of  Judah,  but  long  held  by  the  Syrians,  and 
wasted  them  with  fire  and  sword.  Jehu,  terrified  by 
this  new  enemy,  now  submitted  to  pay  tribute  to  him, 
and  it  is  duly  recorded  that  among  the  items  of  which 
it  consisted  were  gold  and  silver;  buckets,  cups,  and 
bottles  of  gold  ;  lead,  and  rods  of  wood  for  maces.^  It 
was  the  beginning  of  the  end.  The  shadow  of  the  new 
kingdom  on  the  Euphrates  was  beginning  to  fall  over 
Israel. 

*  See  illustrations  in  Hours  with  the  Bible,  vol.  iv.  pp.  167, 168. 


JONAH. 

THE  brief  narrative  of  Jonah  takes  us  back  to  a 
period  so  remote  that  it  is  difficult  to  realize  its 
hoary  antiquity.  Bom  in  Gath-hepher — "  The  wine- 
presses by  the  well " — a  village  not  far  from  Nazareth ; 
the  son  of  an  unknown  man,  whose  name,  however,  is 
itself  an  honour,  Amittai — "  The  truthful  one  '^ — he 
spent  his  day  in  the  reign  of  Jeroboam  II.  of  Israel — 
eight  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ  (825- 
774).  When  we  remember  that  the  first  Olympiad 
dates  from  B.C.  776,  and  is  the  earliest  sparkle  of  Grecian 
history,  and  that  Rome  was  as  yet  a  nameless  village,  if 
founded  at  all ;  ^  that  the  empire  of  Babylon  was  not  to 
rise  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  that  Alexander 
the  Great  was  not  to  be  born  till  four  hundred  years 
later,  it  will  help  us  to  bear  our  thoughts  back  across 
the  twenty-seven  centuries  that  lie  between  us  and  the 
prophet.  So  venerable  a  book  for  its  age  alone,  is  the 
word  of  God ! 

The  only  incident  of  Jonah^s  life  recorded  outside  the 
short  book  known  by  his  name  is  mentioned  in  2  Kings 
xiv.  25.  Jeroboam  the  Second  "  restored  the  coast  of 
Israel,  from  the  entering  of  Hamath  (in  Lebanon)  unto 
the  sea  of  the  plain  (the  Dead  Sea),  according  to  the 

*  B.C.  753  is  the  legeinlaTy  year  of  the  foundation  of  Eorae. 

360 


JONAH.  361 

word  of  Jehovali  Elohim  of  Israel,  wliicli  lie  spake  by 
the  hand  of  His  servant  Jonah,  the  son  of  Amittai,  the 
prophet,  who  was  of  Gath-hepher."  It  is  clear,  however, 
from  this,  that  what  we  know  of  him  was  only  a  single 
episode  in  a  life  of  active  prophetical  ministrations. 
His  presence,  meanwhile,  in  the  ungodly  and  idolatrous 
kingdom  of  the  Ten  Tribes,  proves  touchingly  how  long 
God  strove  to  win  back  His  people,  and  how  unwilling 
He  was  to  leave  them  to  their  sins. 

Nor  was  the  loving  pity  of  God  shown  only  to  Israel. 
Even  in  those  ages  when  He  revealed  Himself  as 
especially  the  God  of  a  chosen  people.  He  did  not  forget 
that  other  nations  also  were  the  children  of  His  hand. 

Assyria  had  reigned,  under  various  dynasties,  for 
centuries,  over  the  regions  on  the  Euphrates,  and  was 
within  twenty  years  after  Jeroboam^s  death  to  bring 
Israel  itself  into  tribute  to  it.  The  greatness  and 
wickedness  of  the  mighty  State  was  thus  known  over 
all  the  East,  and  in  Palestine  among  other  countries. 
Perhaps  this,  or  possibly  the  future  relations  of  Meso- 
potamia to  His  own  people,  led  to  a  commission  from  God 
to  Jonah  which  is  unique  in  the  history  of  the  ancient 
economy. 

The  word  of  the  Lord,  we  are  told,  came  to  Jonah, 
telling  him  to  arise  and  go  to  Nineveh,  and  cry  against 
it;  ''  for  its  wickedness  is  come  up  before  Me.'' 

Traditions  of  the  unrivalled  size  and  magnificence  of 
Nineveh  have  been  current  from  the  earliest  ages ;  but 
the  city  had  fallen  so  completely  into  decay  before  the 
period  of  authentic  history  that  it  is  hard  to  know  how 
far  to  trust  what  is  recorded  respecting  it.  It  is  said  to 
have  had  walls  a  hundred  feet  high,  broad  enough  for 
three  chariots  to  drive  abreast  on  them,  and  that  it  was 
defended  by  fifteen  hundred  towers,  each  two  hundred 


362  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

feet  in  heigM.  It  is  further  reported  to  have  included 
in  its  vast  intramural  space  no  less  a  circuit  tlian  sixty 
miles.  In  the  Book  of  Jonah  it  is  described  as  '^  a  great 
city  to  God/^  of  ^^  three  days'  journey,'^  and  as  contain- 
ing a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  persons  who  could 
not  discern  between  their  right  hand  and  their  left 
hand,  and  also  much  cattle.  Yet  this  does  not  realize 
the  modern  idea  of  a  mighty  city  in  the  grandest  sense, 
for  how  vastly  greater  must  the  number  of  the  young 
be  in  such  a  community  as  that  of  London  ?  It  seems 
as  if  the  population  of  Nineveh,  reckoning  from  those 
spoken  of  as  the  children  under  seven,  which  is  still  the 
mode  in  Persia,  was  not  over  600,000  souls. 

However  this  may  be.  He,  in  whose  sight  a  single 
soul  is  precious,  was  graciously  pleased  to  send  a  warn- 
ing to  the  mighty  Eastern  capital.  But  though  the 
Almighty  had  pity  on  the  heathen.  His  mercy  found  no 
echo  in  the  narrow  sympathies  of  the  Jew  who  was  to 
be  its  mouthpiece.  With  the  crude  child-like  ideas  of 
the  Divine  Being  peculiar  to  an  age  of  the  world  which 
knew  only  of  local  gods, — ideas  which  led  Jacob  to 
wonder  that  he  should  have  found  God  present  at  Bethel 
as  well  as  at  his  father's  tents  at  Beersheba, — Jonah 
^^ros3  up  to  flee  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  "  and 
making  his  way  to  the  seaport  of  Joppa,  took  ship  in  a 
Phenician  vessel  bound  to  Tarshish,  on  the  Guadal- 
quivir, in  Spain — the  great  port  for  the  silver  mines  of 
that  country. 

The  miraculous  incident  that  followed  is  well  known, 
and  needs  no  detailed  mention.  A  storm  having  risen, 
the  guilty  conscience  of  Jonah,  in  keeping  with  the 
ideas  of  temporal  Divine  vengeance  universal  in  an- 
tiquity, believed  that  he  was  the  cause :  that  it  was,  in 
fact,  the  vengeance   of   the    Almighty   demanding   his 


JONAH.  363 

deatli  as  tlie  price  of  tlie  safe  voyage  of  the  ship.  He 
requested  to  be  thrown  overboard.  But  'Hhe  Lord/^ 
we  are  told,  *^^had  prepared  a  great  fish  to  swallow 
Jonah;''  and  by  its  means  he  was  kept  alive,  and  at 
last  reached  the  dry  land. 

Once  more  in  his  own  country,  the  message  command- 
ing him  to  go  to  Nineveh  was  repeated ;  and  with 
humbled  spirit,  Jonah  no  longer  thought  of  disobeying. 
Travelling  north  to  the  fords  of  the  Euphrates,  and  then 
following  its  banks  to  the  south-east,  he  at  last  reached 
the  end  of  his  journey. 

There,  as  often  happens,  the  novelty  of  the  message 
produced  an  impression  which  it  might  have  failed  to 
produce  in  the  country  of  the  Ten  Tribes.  Passing 
through  the  streets  of  the  great  city  in  his  strange 
prophet's  hairy  mantle, — for  all  Jewish  prophets  seem 
to  have  worn  that  special  mark, — he  repeated  as  his 
awful  and  ever-recurring  burden,  ^^  Yet  forty  days,  and 
Nineveh  shall  be  overthrown."  No  human  enemy  was 
near,  nor  was  there  any  human  danger.  The  destruction 
must  come  from  above,  and  this  appalled  the  Ninevites. 
They  might  laugh  at  man,  but  the  heavens  could  crush 
them  in  a  moment. 

Wide  popular  excitement  was  the  result,  penetrating 
even  the  painted  halls  of  the  king,  and  leading  him 
to  lay  aside  his  splendour,  and  seek  to  propitiate  the 
Divine  Being  by  robing  himself  in  sackcloth,  and  sitting 
on  the  ground.  All  Nineveh  followed  his  example, 
showing  sincere  humiliation,  and  their  doing  so  saved 
their  city. 

One  more  strange  episode  of  the  prophet's  story  is 
given.  From  whatever  reason,  the  mercy  shown  to 
Ninevah  only  roused  his  anger.  Perhaps  he  grudged 
the  heathen  a  share  in  the  favour  which  he  fancied  the 


364  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEBS. 

monopoly  of  the  Jew.  In  his  discontent  lie  wished  him- 
self dead.  Going  outside  the  huge  walls  of  the  city,  he 
sat  in  the  shadow  of  a  booth  he  had  made,  watching  what 
would  become  of  Nineveh.  Meanwhile  a  quick-spring- 
ing gourd,^  as  we  read,  was  made  to  grow  over  him  in 
the  night,  and  after  giving  him,  for  a  day,  a  refreshing 
shade,  to  wither  the  next,  leaving  the  hot  sun  to  beat 
on  him,  till  he  moodily  thought  that  '^  it  was  better  to 
die  than  to  live." 

Then  follows  in  the  narrative  a  strange  dialogue,  which 
it  is  hard  rightly  to  understand  in  all  its  circumstances. 
*^  And  God  said  to  Jonah,  Doest  thou  well  to  be  angry 
for  the  gourd  ?  And  he  said,  I  do  well  to  be  angry, 
even  unto  death.  Then  said  the  Lord,  Thou  hast  had 
pity  on  the  gourd,  for  the  which  thou  hast  not  laboured, 
neither  madest  it  grow ;  which  came  up  in  a  night,  and 
perished  in  a  night :  and  should  I  not  spare  Nineveh, 
that  great  city,  wherein  are  more  than  sixscore  thousand 
persons  that  cannot  discern  between  their  right  hand 
and  their  left  hand  ;  and  also  much  cattle  ?  " 

There  ends  the  amazing  recital ! 

The  lessons  taught  by  this  striking  book  are  too 
numerous  for  our  short  Hmits.  How  touching  to  notice 
the  contrast  between  the  breadth  of  the  charity  of  God 
and  the  petty  narrowness  of  man !  How  touching  to 
see  that  the  Almighty  cares  even  for  the  lives  of  the 
lower  creatures ;  that  even  the  cattle  are  thought  of  in 
the  pity  that  looks  on  the  great  community ! 

'^  Jonah "  teaches  us,  among  other  things,  how  God 
cares  for  other  nations  as  well  as  those  who  outwardly 
seem  specially  in  His  favour  :  that  He  is  not  only  the 
God  of  the  Jew,  but  also  of  the  heathen.     It  speaks  of 

*  It  is  thought  by  some  to  have  been  the^alma  cliristi,  or  castor 
oil  plant,  which  still  grows  to  a  great  size  in  the  Jordan  Valley. 


JONAH. 


365 


tte  lesson  to  sucli  as  Israel  in  tlie  ready  penitence  of 
those  they  regarded  as  so  mucli  worse  than  themselves, 
and  enforces  a  lesson  of  pity  as  well  as  the  duty  of 
missionary  zeal. 

The  great  truth  sounds  from  it,  moreover,  that  though 
God  be  ready  to  forgive,  He  is  also  stern  to  punish  when 
repentance  is  withheld. 


AsSTBIiS-  GE!?II  KvSELINa  BSFOBB  THE  TbBB  Of  LZVB. 


JEEOBOAM  II. 

THE  humiliation  and  weakness  of  the  northern  king- 
dom under  Jelioahaz^  the  second  of  the  line  of 
Jehu,  had  led  that  king  to  seek  help  from  Jehovah,  the 
God  of  his  fathers,  and  his  repentance  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  a  promise  from  the  prophets  still  true  to  the 
ancient  faith,  that  a  saviour  would  arise  to  bring  back 
the  glory  of  his  kingdom.  Hazael  and  his  son  Benha- 
dad,  kings  of  Damascus,  had  been  able  not  only  to 
continue  their  oppression  of  Israel,  but  to  annihilate 
its  means  of  defence,  so  that  it  lay  helpless  at  their 
feet.^  Joash,  the  next  king  (b.c.  839-823),  lived  in  a 
happy  union  with  Elisha  who  died  in  his  reign,"  and 
thus  showed  that  the  godliness  of  his  father's  later 
days  had  been  continued  in  himself;  but  although  he 
laid  the  foundation  of  a  future  restoration  of  the  king- 
dom, from  its  prostration,  it  was  still  comparatively 
weak  when  he  died.  The  death  of  Hazael  of  Syria, 
a  fierce  and  able  warrior,  no  doubt  aided  the  efi'orts  of 
Joash;  the  next  king  of  Damascus,  Benhadad  III., 
proving  himself  much  inferior  in  ability,  alike  in  the 
camp  and  the  council  chamber,  to  his  redoubted  father. 
At  the  accession  of  the  son  of  Joash,  Jeroboam  II., 

»  2  Kings  xiii.  3,  7,  22 ;  Amos  i.  3 ;  iv.  10. 
*  2  Kings  xiii.  14. 

366 


JEEOBOAM  II.  367 

things  were  thus  in  some  measure  brighter,  but  the 
neighbouring  States  were  still  haughty  and  threatening. 
It  was  left  to  the  new  king  to  win  back  for  Israel  a 
foremost  place  in  Palestine,  and  to  restore  the  glory  of 
Israel  wellnigh  to  that  of  which  it  had  boasted  in  the 
great  days  of  the  empire  of  Solomon. 

Jeroboam  II.  was  the  fourth  king  of  the  house  of 
Jehu,  and  ascended  the  throne  in  the  fifteenth  year  of 
Amaziah,  king  of  Judah,  who  continued  for  fourteen 
years  more  his  contemporary.  Jeroboam,  however,  not 
only  outlived  him,  but  survived  till  the  thirty-eighth 
year  of  the  great  Uzziah,  king  of  Judah;  his  reign 
extending  to  the  long  period  of  at  least  fifty-one  years, 
(B.C.  823-772),^  Jiidah  had  been  utterly  crushed  by 
Joash  of  Samaria  when  Amaziah  foolishly  attempted 
to  conquer  Israel;  Jerusalem  had  been  taken,  and 
Jeroboam  held  the  hostages  given  to  his  father  by  the 
southern  king*,  as  pledges  of  his  future  good  behaviour. 
There  was  nothing  therefore  to  weaken  him  in  turn- 
ing his  arms  against  his  foreign  enemies.  Little  is  told 
of  his  character  or  of  his  wars,  but  his  conquests  and 
the  glory  to  which  he  raised  his  country  mark  him  as 
the  greatest  of  the  kings  of  Samaria.  The  wide  region 
from  the  valley  of  Hamath  on  the  Orontes,  far  to  the 
north,  to  the  plain  south  of  the  Dead  Sea,  owned  his 
sway.  Moab  and  Ammon  were  finally  subdued,  and 
made  tributary  under  native  vassal-princes.  The  Yalley 
of  the  Willows,  on  the  border  of  Edom,  became  the 
southern  boundary  of  Israel.  The  Ammonites  had  for 
generations  harassed  such  portions  of  the  territory 
of  the  tribes  beyond  the  Jordan  as  were  not  in  the 
hands  of  the  Syrians,  inflicting  the  most  hideous 
barbarities  on  the  populatiouj"^  but  the  long  pent  up  in- 
*  Klein  on  Biehm.  2  ^mos  i.  13. 


OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

dignation  at  such  savagery  burst  fortli  at  lengfcli  under 
sucli  a  leader  as  Jeroboam.  Huge  levies  of  tlie  fight- 
ing men  of  Israel  crossed  the  Jordan,  and  having  taken 
Rabbah,  the  Ammonite  capital^  burnt  its  walls,  for- 
tresses and  palaces,  after  a  wild  assault^  amidst  fierce 
shouting,  and  uproar  like  the  tumult  of  the  winds  and 
skies  in  a  day  of  whirlwind  and  tempest.^  The  king 
and  his  chief  men  were  led  off  captives^  and  the  land 
utterly  humbled. 

No  less  terrible  was  the  fate  meted  out  to  Moab. 
The  retreat  of  Israel  from  before  Kir,  its  chief  city, 
while  Mesa  was  its  king,  had  emboldened  it  to  continue 
the  refusal  of  tribute  to  Israel.  Like  Ammon^  moreover, 
it  had  harried  the  Jewish  territory,  once  and  again,  with 
circumstances  of  revolting  cruelty.  Now,  at  last,  came 
the  national  revenge.  An  outrage  committed  by  Moab 
on  a  king  of  Edom,  whose  bones  they  burned  to  dust, 
roused  his  people  to  aid  in  the  attack,  as  allies  to 
Jeroboam.2  Terrible  traditions  of  the  struggle  passed 
down  to  later  times. ^  Moab  sank  amidst  tumult,  shout- 
ing, and  the  sound  of  the  trumpet.*  A  voice  of  crying 
was  heard  from  Horonaim,  spoiling  and  great  destruc- 
tion. Wailing  rent  the  air,  over  all  the  land.  He  was 
happy  who  escaped  naked  to  the  wilderness.  The 
towns  were  made  Uninhabited  desolations,  from  which 
Moab  was  scared  as  a  bird  from  her  nest.  The  cities 
went  up  in  smoke  and  flame ;  their  best  men  were 
slaughtered  like  sheep  in  the  shambles.  The  fugitives 
fled,  like  doves,  to  the  clefts  of  the  rocks,  or  crouched 
together  at  the  fords  of  the  Arnon,  till  they  could 
cross.     Vast  multitudes  were   slain,  or  dragged  off  to 

*  Amos  i.  14.  2  AmoB  ii.  1. 

*  See  the  translation  of  Jer.  xlviii.  in  Hours  with  the  Bible,  voL 
vi.  p.  154.  ^  Amos  ii.  2. 


JEEOBOAM  II. 


369 


slavery;   the  very  vinesj  cornfields  and  pastures  were 
destroyed.^ 

The  formidable  though  undesigned  aid  of  Assyria, 
strange  to  say,  helped  Jeroboam  in  his  conquests. 
Binnirari,  the  second  Sultan  of  Nineveh  after  the 
great  conqueror  Shalmaneser  II._,  ascended  the  throne 
in  the  thirteenth  year  of  the  Israelitish  king's  reign, 
and  proved  a  fierce  enemy  to  Damascus.  '^  I  marched,^' 
says  he,  "  against  the  country  of  the  Khatti  (Hittites) 
and  took  their  king, 
Mariha,  in  his  capital, 
Damascus.  Profound 
fear  of  Assur,  my  lord, 
seized  him.  He  em- 
braced my  knees,  and 
made  submission.  I 
imposed  on  him  a  tri- 
bute of  2,300  talents  of 
silver,  10  talents  of  gold, 
3,000  talents  of  copper, 
4,000  talents  of  iron, 
and  of  a  quantity  of 
woollen  and  cotton 
cloths    and   fabrics.       I 

AssteiahStandabd  wixhthbFobmof  ASSUB. 

took    the    standard  and 

the  royal  umbrella,  with  all  the  vast  wealth  of  his  trea- 
sures— all,  in  fact,  that  was  in  Damascus,  both  in  the 
city  itself  and  in  the  palace.'^  He  boasts,  moreover, 
of  having  laid  under  tribute  and  re-united  to  his  em- 
pire, Phenicia,  including  Tyre  and  Sidon,  the  land  of 
Omri,  that  is,  the  land  of  Israel,  the  land  of  Edom,  and 
the  whole  of  Palestine  on  the  south,  to  the  Western 
Ocean.-  But  though  Jeroboam  had  thus,  like  the  other 
*  Jer.  xlviii.  passim.      ^  Menant,  p.  127 ;  Keilinschriften,  p.  113. 

B   B 


370 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


powers  of  Canaan,  to  acknowledge  tlie  supremacy  of 
Nineveli  and  pay  a  yearly  sum  to  its  ruler,  lie  was 
otherwise  independent,  and  tlie  utter  humiliation  of 
Damascus  freed  him  from  what  had  been  hitherto  the 
greatest  danger  to  his  throne. 

While  Damascus  on  the  north-east  was  thus  virtually 
destroyed  by  the  attacks  of  Assyria,  Phenicia  on  the 
west   was   disturbed    by   internal   feuds.      Civil   wars, 

which  in  the  end  led 
to  the  flight  of  Queen 
Elisa,  afterwards  the 
famous  Dido,  to  the 
distant  colony  of  her 
race  in  North  Africa, 
and  to  the  founding  of 
Carthage,  had  broken 
the  power  of  Tyre, 
now,  as  we  have  seen, 
like  Samaria,  tributary 
to  Nineveh,  and  had 
freed  Jeroboam  from 
any  fear  on  that  side. 
Nor  were  things  less 
favourable  in  the 
south.  Uzziah,  king 
T2«  coixoN  plant-gosstpittm  religiosum.  q£  Judah   after  Ama- 

ziah,  lived  at  peace  with  the  House  of  Jehu,  while 
avoiding  any  entangling  alliances  like  those  of  Jehosha- 
phat.  Intercourse  between  Jerusalem  and  Samaria 
was  free  and  constant,  so  that  commerce  and  personal 
intimacies  linked  the  two  kingdoms  together  in  friend- 
ship. 

The  political  and  religious  maxims  of  Jeroboam's 
government  were   substantially  those  of  his   dynasty. 


JEROBOAM  II.  371 

The  worsliip  of  Jeliovali  remained  tlie  religion  of 
tlie  State,  but  in  the  impure  form  of  His  represen- 
tation under  tlie  symbol  of  a  sacred  calf.  Bethel,  the 
Canterbury  of  the  northern  kingdom,  had  its  grand 
temple  with  a  royal  palace  adjoining,  its  multitudes  of 
priests,  and  its  splendid  ritual.  Dan,  in  the  north, 
supplied  the  local  wants  as  a  shrine,  while  Gilgal,  in 
Bphraim,  rose  to  be  a  powerful  rival  to  both.  The  half 
reformation  of  Jehu  had  been  an  utter  failure,  so  far  as 
the  restoration  of  the  ancient  faith  or  the  improvement 
of  public  morality  were  concerned.  Idolatry  of  every 
kind  throve  on  all  sides,  and  the  foul  worship  associated 
with  it  sapped  the  character  of  the  nation.  Even  the 
worship  of  Baal,  so  fiercely  rooted  out  by  Jehu,  again 
raised  its  head.^  The  glory  of  Jeroboam's  reign  was 
only  superficial.  The  moral  decay  of  the  land  deepened 
each  day. 

Such  a  state  of  things  brought  about  an  entire  change 
in  the  feelings  of  the  prophets  towards  the  house  of 
Jehu.  At  first  its  champions,  they  became  ultimately 
its  fierce  opponents.  The  calf  worship  of  Bethel,  al- 
ways denounced  in  Judah,  was  inveighed  against,  on 
the  spot,  by  Amos,  a  man  of  the  southern  kingdom. 
Jonah,  who  flourished  in  Israel  in  the  beginning  of 
Jeroboam's  reign,  before  his  religious  policy  had 
shown  its  worst  characteristics,  had  been  on  the  side 
of  the  great  king,  and  saw  in  him  the  saviour  of  his 
country.  But  Hosea,  who  lived  towards  the  close  of 
the  reign,  was  as  stern  as  Amos  had  been  in  his 
denunciation  of  the  prevailing   evil."     Nor    could   any 

^  Amos  ii.  8 ;  iv.  4 ;  v.  5  ;  viii.  14  ;  2  Kings  xiv.  2-4 ;  Hos.  ii. 
13, 17. 

2  1  Kings  xiii.  Iff.;  2  Kings  xiv.  25 ;  Amos  vii.  7-15;  Hos. 
i.-iii. 


372  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

warnings  or  threats  of  coming  judgment  be  too  strong. 


At  tlie  death  of  Jeroboam  the  inner  corruption  of  the 


JEEOBOAM  II. 


373 


kingdom  led  to  its  swift    ruin,  wlien  tlie    influence  of 
the  strong  man  who  till  then  ruled  had  passed  away. 


Under  the  reign  of  Jeroboam  the  material  prosperity 
of  the  kingdom  rose  to  a  height  never  previously  known. 


374 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


Samaria  grew  ricli  from  the  spoil  of  war  and  tlie  profits 
of  trade.  Mansions  of  liewn  stone  rose  on  every  side ; 
tlie  inner  walls,  in  many  cases,  in  imitation  of  Aliab's 
palace,  covered  with  plates  of  ivory  brought  from  Africa 
by  the  Phenicians.^  The  chambers  were  fitted  up  with 
couches  and  furniture  of  the  same  rare  material.^  Cool 
houses  for  the  hot  season ;  others,  warmer,  for  winter, 
became  the  fashion.  Pleasant  vineyards  attached  to 
them  covered  the  slopes  of  the  hills.^  The  sunny, 
heights  and  the  rich  plains  of  the  land,  east  and  west 


A  Black  and  White  Slave  attekding  an  Egyptian  Ladt. 

of  the  Jordan  were  covered  with  waving  corn;  the 
sower  and  the  reaper  were  everywhere  seen  in  their 
season.  The  rich  of  both  sexes  revelled  in  luxury  ;  the 
multitude  were  poor,  or  in  want.  While  the  wealth  of 
a  few  accumulated,  the  mass  of  the  people  sank  daily. 
Men  no  longer  owned  the  land  they  tilled,  but  had  to 
toil  for  a  wretched  pittance  as  virtual  slaves. 

Above  all,  as  has  been  said,  the  religious  strength  of 
the  land  was  gone.     Besides  Bethel,  Dan   and  Gilgal, 
Samaria  boasted  its  idol  shrines.     A  temple  to  Asherah 
*  2  Kings  vi.  4.  -  Amos  iii.  15.  ^  2  Kings  v.  11. 


JEEOBOAM  II. 


375 


had  remained  standing  from  Jehn^s  day,  in  the  capital, 
and  was  now  re-opened.  Women  once  more  burned 
incense  before  its  impure  symbols,  and  decked  them- 
selves with,  earrings  and  jewels  on  feast  days.^  Images 
of  Baal,  of  silver  and  gold,  were  set  up  by  private  per- 
sons." The  smoke  of  idol  sacrifices  rose  from  the  tops 
of  the  hills,  and  worship  was  offered  in  idolatrous 
groves.  The  obscenities  of  heathenism  once  more  pol- 
luted the  land.  Maidens  and  matrons  forgot  their 
honour,  and  stooped  to  be  harlots  in  the  idol  temples.^ 
The  glory  of  Jeroboam's  reign  was  only  phosphor- 
escence on  decay. 


'  Hos.  ii.  13. 


2  Hos.  ii.  8. 


Hos.  iv.  13-15. 


JEGiriiiw  NoBDB  Fishing  in  his  Pond. 


ISAIAH. 

IN  Isaiah  we  have  tlie  grandest  genius  of  the  Hebrew 
race  whose  name  and  writings  have  come  down  to 
our  day.  Apart  from  his  supreme  dignity  as  an  inspired 
oracle  of  Jehovah_,  there  attaches  to  him  the  lofty  honour 
of  having  been  one  of  the  great  minds  of  the  race. 

The  name  of  Isaiah's  father^  who  is  otherwise  un- 
known, is  said  to  have  been  Amotz — "the  strong  one.'' 
He  has  been  confounded  by  some  with  the  prophet 
Amos_,  but  the  names  are  differently  spelt  in  Hebrew^ 
and  the  mistake  arose  only  from  ignorance  of  that  lan- 
guage. It  would  appear  as  if  the  fame  of  the  prophet 
had  led  in  after  generations  to  the  adoption  of  his  name 
in  many  families_,  for  we  find  it  occurring  no  fewer  than 
six  times  in  the  later  sacred  books.^ 

Isaiah  began  his  public  appearances  as  a  prophet  in 
the  last  year  of  King  Uzziah,  757  e.g./  and  thus  he 
belongs  to  the  circle  of  the  oldest  prophets  whose  writ- 
ings have  been  preserved.  Others  had  preceded  him, 
for  there  had  been  prophets  from  the  earliest  ages. 
Even  in  Genesis/  Abimelech  of  Gerar  is  told  that  Abra- 
ham is  a  prophet ;  and  the  word  occurs  more  than  once 

1  1  Chron.  iii.  21 ;  xxv.  3,  15 ;  xxvi.  25 ;   Ezra  viii.  7,  19. 

2  This  date  is  uncertain.  Schrader  speaks  of  Uzziah  as  cer- 
tainly alive  in  B.C.  740.  ^  Qen.  xx.  7. 

''  376 


ISAIAH.  377 

in  tlie  discourses  of  Moses.^  In  tlie  dark  times  of  tlie 
Judges  propliets  were  in  full  activity ;  ^  and  we  are  told 
tliat  tlie  prophet  Gad,  the  official  ^^seer  of  David/' 
wrote  a  book  of  tlie  Acts  of  his  illustrious  master,  which 
has  perished.^  Thus,  the  order  had  been  a  recognised 
institution  in  Israel  for  many  hundred  years  before  the 
rise  of  the  earliest  of  its  members  whose  utterances  have 
been  handed  down  to  us. 

Among  the  few  personal  details  respecting  Isaiah  we 
learn  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  Jerusalem,  living  ap- 
parently in  the  outer  or  lower  town;*  that  he  was 
married,  and  had  at  least  two  sons.  It  is  a  striking 
evidence  of  his  intense  devotion  to  his  office  as  pro- 
phet, that  even  his  domestic  relations  are  connected 
with  it.  His  wife  is  spoken  of  as  ^^the  prophetess,"^ 
and  his  sons  bear  symbolic  names.  Thus,  thongh  he 
wore  the  hairy  mantle  of  the  prophet,^  he  was  no  monk, 
or  ascetic ;  did  not  withdraw  himself  from  the  public 
life  of  his  people,  but  took  the  liveliest  interest  and  a 
foremost  part  in  all  the  events  of  the  day,  in  so  far  as 
they  bore  on  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  land,  though 
his  ordinary  life  was  doubtless  spent  as  a  faithful  re- 
ligious teacher  in  more  obscure  services  and  ministra- 
tions. 

The  kingdom  of  Judah  was  rich  and  flourishing  in  the 
reign  of  Jotham  (b.c.  756-740),  which  followed  the  fifty- 
one  years'  reign  of  his  father,  Uzziah.  If,  as  has  been 
thought,  Chapters  II.  to  V.  of  his  prophecies  belong  to 
Jotham's  lifetime,  Isaiah  was  an  earnest  preacher  in 
that  prince's  reign ;  striving  to  reform  the  morals  of  the 

*  Deut.  xiii.  1 ;  xviii.  15.  *  Judges  vi.  8. 
8  1  Chron.  xxis.  29. 

*  2  Kings  XX.  4.  The  word  "court"  should  be  translated  "  city." 
»  Isa.  viii.  3.  •  Isa.  xx.  2. 


378  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 

nation  and  its  leaders,  and  to  procure  tlie  removal  of 
"what  still  remained  of  idolatry,  after  UzziaVs  days.  It 
is  not  improbable,  however,  tbat  tbese  chapters  belong 
rather  to  the  reign  of  Ahaz,  and  in  that  case  the  reign 
of  Jotham  is  not  marked  by  any  of  the  utterances  of  the 
great  prophet  preserved  to  us.  The  quiet  and  political 
inactivity  of  the  times  appear  to  have  left  him  free  to 
pursue  his  career  of  usefulness  in  ways  not  less  earnest 
but  less  prominent  than  those  of  his  later  life. 

It  was  very  different  under  the  reign  of  Jotham' s  suc- 
cessor, the  boy-king,  Ahaz,  who  reigned  from  B.C.  740 
to  724.  The  youth,  weakness,  irreligious  spirit,  and 
liking  for  heathenism  of  the  new  ruler,  called  forth 
Isaiah's  appeals  and  remonstrances  with  a  touching  ear- 
nestness. The  first  years  of  the  reign  were  disturbed 
by  ah  invasion  of  Israel,  with  its  ally,  the  king  of  Syria, 
and  Ahaz  and  the  people  saw  no  hope  of  deliverance 
except  by  the  aid  of  Assyria.  In  vain  Isaiah  warned 
king  and  nation  alike  against  their  folly :  in  vain  he  ex- 
horted them  to  trust  in  Grod,  their  King,  alone  :  in  vain 
he  foretold  that  the  invasion  would  come  to  nothing. 
The  popular  excitement  was  too  great  to  listen  to  such 
counsels  and  assurances,  and  Ahaz  procured  the  humili- 
ation of  his  enemies  by  the  king  of  Assyria,  at  the 
price  of  a  heavy  ^^  gift "  and  the  yoke  of  a  permanent 
tribute. 

During  the  rule  of  Hezekiah,  the  son  of  Ahaz,  who 
reigned  from  B.C.  724  to  695,  Isaiah's  influence  was 
much  greater.  He  was  now  under  a  religious  prince, 
faithful  to  the  principles  of  the  theocracy  which  he 
administered,  though  of  narrow  political  insight,  and 
apparently  under  the  influence  of  a  strong  faction  in  the 
state,  which  from  this  time  exercised  great  power.  This 
party  was  determined  to  free  their  country  from  the 


ISAIAH.  379 

yoke  of  Assyria,  and  for  that  purpose  formed  an  alllanco 
witli  Egypt  and  Ethiopia,  by  whose  help  they  expected 
to  effect  their  end.  This  aid  was  the  more  readily 
counted  upon,  as  Sargon,  the  reigning  king  of  Assyria, 
was  not  on  friendly  relations  with  these  two  countries. 

Isaiah  at  once  set  himself  to  oppose  this  new  policy, 
and  attacked  it  again  and  again  with  splendid  eloquence 
and  intense  earnestness;  warned  his  fellow-citizens  of 
the  faithlessness  of  the  Pharaohs;  threatened  them 
with  Assyrian  invasions ;  and  predicted  the  destruction 
of  those  who  would  wickedly  force  such  a  course  on 
Hezekiah. 

The  opponents  of  the  prophet  were,  nevertheless, 
successful  in  persuading  or  coercing  the  king  to  their 
wishes.  The  Assyrian  tribute  was  left  unpaid,  and  for 
a  time  all  seemed  to  do  well.  But  ere  long  an  Assyrian 
army  approached  Jerusalem,  and  it  appeared  as  if  final 
ruin  were  to  overtake  the  state.  The  tablets  found  in 
Nineveh  record  the  events  of  the  campaign.  The  king 
then  reigning  in  Assyria  was  Sennacherib,  and  the  year 
he  came  up  against  Judah  was  B.C.  702.  Crossing  from 
Nineveh  to  Syria  he  first  attacked  Sidon,  but  its  prince, 
not  feeling  ready  to  oppose  such  a  host,  sailed  away  to 
Cyprus,  leaving  his  city  to  the  mercy  of  the  invaders. 

Sennacherib  now  besieged  and  took  the  various  Phe- 
nician  towns.  Tyre  alone  succeeding  in  resisting  him. 
The  greater  and  lesser  Sidon;  Zarephath,  where  the 
widow,  Elijah's  hostess,  had  lived  ;  Hosah,  Achzib,  and 
Acre,  in  turn  yielded  to  him.  The  sea-coast,  down  to 
the  land  of  the  Philistines,  was  now  in  the  hands  of  the 
Assyrians. 

Meanwhile  his  conquests,  and  the  failure  of  Egyptian 
aid,  brought  nearly  the  whole  of  Palestine  to  the  feet  of 
Sennacherib,  and  the  various  rulers  sent  envoys,  with 


380 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 


ISAIAH.  381 

tribute  and  tokens  of  submission,  to  lay  before  him. 
Menabem,  king  of  Israel,  sent  from  Samaria;  and  so 
did  tlie  kings  of  Sidon,  Arvad,  Zebal,  Aslidod,  the 
Ammonites,  the  Moabites,  and  of  Edom,  from  their 
respective  capitals.  Askelon,  Ekron,  and  Judah  alone 
remained  in  rebellion. 

Presently  Askelon  was  invaded;  its  king  and  his 
family  captured  and  sent  into  exile  ;  its  cities  humbled, 
and  a  new  king  set  on  the  throne.  Ekron  was  next  at- 
tacked. Padi,  its  king,  the  Nineveh  tablets  inform  us, 
had  been  faithful  to  Assyria ;  but  his  princes,  priests, 
and  people  having  conspired  against  and  seized  him,  he 
was  delivered  to  Hezekiah  to  be  kept  prisoner  at  Jeru- 
salem. Like  Judah,  Ekron  relied  on  Egypt,  and  now  a 
force  from  that  country  and  Ethiopia  came  to  their  aid, 
but  they  were  ere  long  defeated.  Ekron,  soon  after, 
fell :  its  chief  men  were  put  to  death,  and  its  people 
severely  treated.  Padi,  the  king,  was  demanded  from 
Hezekiah,  and,  being  delivered  up,  was  reinstated  on 
the  throne. 

The  king  of  Judah,  the  chief  tributary  who  had 
thrown  off  the  yoke  of  Assyria,  was  attacked  last. 
After  crushing  Ekron,  Sennacherib  marched  against 
Judah,  captured  forty-six  fortified  towns,  destroyed 
every  open  village,  and  carried  into  captivity  200,150 
people  of  all  sorts,  together  with  horses,  mules,  asses, 
camels,  oxen,  and  sheep  in  great  numbers. 

The  tablets  go  on  to  relate  how  Hezekiah  was  now 
shut  up  in  Jerusalem  like  a  caged  bird,  and  how  towers 
were  built  all  round  the  city  to  attack  it.  Thus  in- 
vested, the  king  and  leading  men  were  in  dismay,  and 
resolved  on  submission.  How  Isaiah  protested  against 
their  purpose,  we  learn  from  the  Book  of  Kings. 
Meanwhile,  the  Assyrians  attacked  Lachish,  one  of  the 


382 


OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEKS. 


last  remaining  fortified  towns  of  Judah.  The  pavilion 
of  tlie  proudest  of  their  kings  was  pitched  within  sight 
of  it^  and  the  monarchy  like  Xerxes  at  Salamis^,  took  his 
seat  on  a  magnificent  throne,  to  witness  the  final  vic- 
tory of  his  soldiers.     Lachish  fell  before  their  assault, 

and  from  thence  Sen- 
nacherib sent  the  em- 
bassy mentioned  in  the 
Book  of  Kings,  to  dic- 
tate terms  to  Hezekiah. 
According  to  the  Nine- 
veh tablets  the  Jewish 
king  made  submission 
and  gave  tribute,  which 
included  thirty  talents 
of  gold,  eight  hundred 
talents  o£  silver,  precious 
stones  of  various  sorts, 
couches  and  thrones  of 
ivory,  skins  and  horns 
of  buffaloes,  girls  and 
eunuchs,  male  and  fe- 
male musicians. 

It  was  not  customary 
for  Assyrian  kings  to 
own  disasters,  and  not  a 
word  is  spoken  of  any  re- 
verse having  happened 
to  Sennacherib;  but  the 
Bible,  which  is  confirmed  by  a  story  told  to  Herodotus 
by  the  Egyptian  priests,  relates  that  "  the  angel  of  the 
Lord "  went  through  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians,  and 
destroyed  185,000  men,  and  that  the  Great  King  re- 
turned in  disgrace  to  Nineveh. 


ISAIAH.  383 

Sucli  a  result  must  have  greatly  strengthened  the 
hands  of  Isaiah^  and  must  no  less  have  weakened  those 
of  his  opponents.  His  influence  was  no  doubt  increased 
by  an  incident  that  followed  soon  after.  Hezekiah  was 
struck  with  a  sore  disease.  It  seems  to  have  been  a 
form  of  the  plague,  in  which  boils  manifest  themselves 
at  the  crisis  of  the  malady.  To  deepen  the  sadness  of 
the  king,  Isaiah  appeared  at  the  palace  with  the  mes- 
sage from  God  that  the  sickness  would  be  fatal.  But 
earnest  prayer  obtained  a  respite,  and  a  second  visit 
of  the  prophet  announced  that  the  Divine  pity  had 
heard  him,  and  had  lengthened  his  life  fifteen  years. 

Hezekiah,  though  thus  delivered  from  death,  was 
still,  however,  at  times,  weak  and  unwise  as  before, 
and  one  illustration  of  this  brings  into  notice  Isaiah's 
lively  interest  in  passing  events,  and  the  shrewd  prac- 
tical sense  with  which  he  regarded  them. 

Merodach  Baladan,  the  king  of  Babylon,  having 
resolved  to  win  back  from  Assyria  his  native  provinces, 
had  sent  an  embassy  to  Hezekiah,  with  a  present, 
affecting  as  his  object  a  visit  of  sympathy  for  the  king's 
recent  illness,  and  congratulation  at  his  recovery.  His 
real  object,  beyond  question,  was  to  spy  the  condition 
of  the  kingdom ;  but  Hezekiah's  vanity  was  so  flattered 
by  the  courtesy,  that  he  let  himself  be  thrown  entirely 
off  his  guard.  Taking  the  envoys  into  his  confidence, 
he  showed  them  the  whole  resources  of  his  kingdom; 
his  silver,  gold,  jewels,  and  all  other  treasures.  No- 
thing could  have  been  more  unwise,  and  this  Isaiah  felt 
keenly.  Coming  to  the  king,  he  showed  a  prophet's 
boldness  by  asking  who  these  men  were  to  whom  he 
had  laid  bare  the  secrets  of  the  palace ;  and,  on  being 
told,  announced  that  such  weakness  would  have  for  its 
bitter  result  the  excitement  of  the  greed  of  Babylon, 


384  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

and  tlie  ultimate  destruction  of  Judali  by  it.  Fearless 
and  wise^  lie  did  not  shrink  from  rebuking  even  an 
absolute  monarcli  wlien  lie  bad  to  do  so  in  tlie  name 
of  bis  God. 

We  have  no  further  mention  of  Isaiah  in  any  public 
action,  after  this  fourteenth  year  of  Hezekiah,  so  that 
some  have  thought  he  must  have  died  before  Manasseh's 
accession.  But  the  fact  that  he  wrote  a  biography  of 
Hezekiah^  seems  to  imply  that  he  outlived  him.  The 
nineteenth  chapter  of  his  prophecies^  moreover,  has 
been  by  some  fancied  to  date  from  the  second  year  of 
Manasseh's  reign,  but  this  is  only,  at  best,  a  probable 
conjecture. 

The  death  of  the  great  prophet  has  been  made  the 
theme  of  widespread  tradition.  It  is  said  that  he 
perished  by  violence^  as  one  of  the  many  martyrs  of  the 
early  years  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah^s  ungodly  son. 
The  Jewish  form  of  the  legend  is  as  follows  : — 

"  Rabba  says,  Manasseh  condemned  him  and  put  him 
to  death,  saying,  Moses,  thy  Lord,  said,  No  one  can 
see  God  and  live;  but  thou  hast  said,  I  saw  the  Lord 
on  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up :  Moses,  thy  Lord,  said. 
Who  has  the  Lord  so  near  (as  we),  as  often  as  we  call 
on  Him  ?  but  thou  hast  said,  Seek  ye  Jehovah  while 
He  may  be  found  :  Moses,  thy  Lord,  said.  The  number 
of  thy  days  will  I  fulfil ;  but  thou  hast  said,  I  will  add 
to  thy  days  yet  fifteen  years.  Then  said  Isaiah,  I  know 
it  of  him  (Manasseh)  that  he  will  not  receive  what  I 
may  say  to  turn  him  from  his  pride  !  He  then  called 
on  his  God,  and  was  tied  to  a  log  of  cedar,  and  this 
they  forthwith  raised  and  sawed  through  with  a  saw. 
And  when  the  saw  reached  the  prophet's  mouth  he 
gave  up  the  ghost.'' 

1  2  Chron.  xxxii.  32. 


ISAIAH.  385 

I  have  translated  the  expression  used  of  the  cedar 
as  equivalent  to  their  tying  him  to  it,  but  the  legend  in 
some  of  its  forms  is  not  contented  with  so  simple  a 
rendering.  We  are  told  that  when  he  fled  from  the 
wrath  of  Manasseh,  a  withered  tree  opened  and  re- 
ceived him  into  its  midst_,  and  that  workmen  were  then 
set  to  saw  the  tree  up,  and  thus  murdered  the  prophet. 
The  horrible  punishment  of  sawing  men  alive  was 
certainly  in  use  among  the  Jews,  for  some  of  the  people 
of  Eabbah,  the  capital  of  Ammon,  are  said  to  have  been, 
sawn  asunder  by  Joab  or  David ;  ^  and  it  was  also  a 
Persian  custom  to  treat  prisoners  of  war  thus  inhumanly. 
But  in  the  case  of  Isaiah  nothing  is  known,  except 
that,  in  all  probability,  he  was  really  put  to  death  by 
Manasseh. 

The  character  and  genius  of  Isaiah  are  grandly 
shown  in  the  book  which  bears  his  name.  His  fearless 
soul  never  ceased  to  denounce  the  special  sins  of  the 
day — the  idolatry,  superstition,  want  of  faith  in  Jehovah, 
contempt  of  the  Law,  and  daring  mockery  of  religion. 
Thorough  reform  was  demanded,  and  a  strict  observance 
of  the  Law  of  God,  but  this  not  in  mere  outward  form, 
which,  without  the  heart,  is  treated  as  worthless.  As  a 
preacher  of  morals,  Isaiah  did  not  confine  himself  to 
condemning  the  prevalent  sins  of  drunkenness,  oppres- 
sion of  the  poor,  and  perversion  of  justice,  hardhearted- 
ness  and  sheddiug  of  blood,  but  held  up  to  scorn  and 
contempt  the  luxury  and  pride  of  the  rich,  their  grasp- 
ing after  property,  their  confidence  in  abiding  national 
prosperity,  and  the  levity  Avith  which  they  received 
Divine  chastisement.  It  must  have  been  a  strange 
spectacle  to  see  a  defenceless  man  thus  attacking 
directly  and  fiercely  all  the  corruptions  of  the  day, 
»  2  Sam.  xii.  31. 

C  c 


386  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

foretelling  tlie  destruction  of  the  proud  and  hauglity, 
and  demanding  humility^  confession  of  weakness^  and 
lowly  submission  to  tlie  judgments  of  God.  There  is 
no  vagueness,  no  attempt  at  soft  words.  The  mis- 
fortunes of  the  times  are  the  visitations  for  national 
sin.  The  haughtiest  transgressors  are  as  little  spared 
as  the  humblest.  The  most  overwhelming  directness 
brings  the  sin  home*  to  the  individual  offender.  We 
know  how  such  a  preacher  would  be  regarded  in  our 
own  day :  how  he  would  be  denounced  as  ill-mannered^ 
personal,  interfering  with  what  did  not  concern  him, 
puritanical,  and  every  way  hateful  to  those  whose  true 
character  he  so  bitterly  exposed;  nor  can  we  wonder 
that  one  who  acted  thus  was  treated  as  he  was,  since 
the  life  of  so  faithful  a  witness  for  God  would,  even 
now,  be  far  enough  from  enviable.  What  a  contrast 
between  the  nobly  honest  and  outspoken  Hebrew 
preacher  and  the  hollow  smoothness  of  the  modern 
pulpit.  Isaiah  and  his  order  oj^enly  declared  themselves 
against  the  devil  and  all  his  works.  To-day  the  great 
thing  is  to  let  him  lie  quiet,  and  by  no  means  tread  on 
his  outspread  limbs.  It  would  not  pay,  for  this  world, 
to  do  so. 

But  it  is  in  his  grand  Messianic  hopes  that  Isaiah 
rises  to  his  loftiest  flights.  Some  chapters  read  as  if 
they  had  been  written  after  the  days  of  Christ,  not 
centuries  before  them,  and  are  justly  spoken  of  as 
almost  a  fifth  gospel. 


JOSIAH. 


BETWEEN  Eehoboam,  tlie  first  king  of  Judali,  and 
Josiali,  there  lies  an  interval  of  nearly  three 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  during  wliicli,  with  brief 
periods  of  prosperity,  the  kingdom  had  been  sinking 
both  morally  and  materially. 

Manasseh,  the  son  of  the  good  Hezekiah,  and  grand- 
father of  Josiah,  had  in  the  earlier  part  of  his  reign 
done  much  to  bring  the  land  to  ruin.  A  heathen  party 
had  gained  a  strong  hold  in  Jerusalem,  and  had  suc- 
ceeded in  winning  over  the  king  to  its  side.  His  first 
years,  indeed,  must  have  been  less  a  personal  reign 
than  a  regency,  for  he  was  but  twelve  when  he  suc- 
ceeded to  the  throne,  but  he  followed  only  too  blindly 
the  policy  of  the  heathen  party  when  he  attained  his 
majority.  Jerusalem  and  the  country  round  saw  the 
high  places  restored  which  Hezekiah  had  destroyed; 
altars  to  Baal  rose,  with  the  foul  '^  groves  "  connected 
with  his  worship,  and  open  idolatry  of  the  heavenly 
bodies  was  practised  by  the  Court.  Nor  was  this  all. 
Even  in  the  Temple,  altars  were  built  to  the  sun,  moon, 
and  stars,  and  the  king  offered  one  of  his  sons  as  a 
burnt  sacrifice  to  Moloch.  Every  abomination  of 
heathenism   flourished,   and   fierce  persecution  carried 

387 


388         OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAKACTERS. 

terror  and  death  among  tlie  worshippers  of  Jehovali. 
Yet  the  gods  of  the  heathen  were  found  a  vain  reliance 
in  the  day  of  trouble^  though  it  had  been  hoped  they 
would  secure  the  safety  of  the  country^  if  only  by  pro- 
pitiating the  neighbouring  populations.  An  invasion 
from  Assyria  ended  by  Manasseh  being  carried  off 
captive  to  Babylon/  where  his  calamities  brought  him 
to  a  better  mind.  Allowed  to  return  to  Jerusalem,  he 
closed  his  long  reign  of  fifty-five  years  more  worthily 
than  he  had  begun  it_,  but  the  evil  he  had  done  left  its 
deep  traces  in  the  future  of  the  nation. 

Amon,  his  son^  a  youth  of  twenty-two,  succeeded ; 
only,  however,  to  perish  by  a  conspiracy  within  two 
years.  But  in  spite  of  his  having  favoured  idolatry, 
the  conservative  feeling  of  the  people  refused  to  listen 
to  any  overtures  of  revolution,  and  the  conspirators 
having  been  put  to  death,  Josiah,  the  son  of  the  mur- 
dered king,  though  only  eight  years  of  age,  was  pro- 
claimed his  successor. 

The  position  of  affairs  was,  in  some  respects,  favour- 
able at  the  beginning  of  the  new  reign.  The  power 
of  Assyria  had  greatly  decayed  :  the  worshippers  of 
Jehovah  were  for  the  time  in  the  ascendant,  and  the 
very  calamities  of  the  past  had  prepared  the  public 
mind  for  a  return  to  better  Avays.  The  blood  of  the 
martyrs  in  Manasseli's  days  had  been  the  seed  of  the 
Church,  as  it  has  often  been  since.  Prophets  moved 
about  among  the  people,  stirring  them  up  to  a  purer  life 
and  to  an  awakened  zeal  for  the  faith  of  their  fathers. 
Zephaniah  spoke  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and 
Jeremiah  was  beginning  to  be  known  in  Anathoth,  in 
Benjamin,  not  far  from  the  capital.  The  discourses  of 
Isaiah  were,  doubtless,  still  repeated  in  the  homes  of 
^  2  Chron  xxxiii.  11. 


JosiAH.  389 

the  godly,  and  copies  of  them  and  of  other  sacred 
memorials  must  have  been  in  circulation. 

Of  the  influences  amidst  which  Josiah  was  brought 
up  we  know  nothing  particularly,  but  it  is  certain  that 
they  must  have  been  those  of  the  best  of  the  old  puritan 
party,  for  already,  in  his  sixteenth  year,  he  publicly 
showed  himself  zealous  for  the  worship  and  honour  of 
"  the  God  of  David,  his  father,^'  and  his  reign,  thence- 
forth, was  devoted  to  the  restoration  of  the  ancient 
religion  in  all  its  earnestness  and  ceremonial  fulness. 

The  times  were  favourable  to  such  a  movement,  for 
not  only  had  a  reaction  in  favour  of  Jehovah-worship 
set  in  among  the  people  at  large :  the  external  relations 
of  the  country  were  such  as  left  it  freer  to  carry  out 
such  a  religious  revolution  than  it  had  been  for  gener- 
ations. The  Assyrian  kingdom  had  failed  to  maintain 
the  wide  power  attained  under  King  Assurbanipal,  and 
had,  apparently  under  his  immediate  successor,  lost  all 
the  conquests  made  by  him  with  so  much  expenditure 
of  blood  and  treasure.  Though  he  had  vigorously 
attacked  and  severely  chastised  the  races  on  the  east 
of  his  empire,  especially  the  Modes,  these  kingdoms 
not  only  speedily  regained  their  freedom,  but  under 
their  king,  Yakestar,  the  Cyaxares  of  the  Greeks, 
marched  against  Nineveh  itself.  This  enterprise,  how- 
ever, was  defeated  by  one  of  those  historical  phenomena 
which  were  so  frequently  to  recur  in  later  ages — the 
overflow  of  vast  hordes  of  barbarians  from  the  savage 
north,  on  the  richer  and  more  civilized  lands  of  the 
south  and  west. 

A  number  of  warlike,  unsettled  tribes,  known  as  Saci, 
or  Scythians,  had  till  this  time  roamed  over  the  Russian 
steppes  and  the  trans-Caucasian  regions.  They  had  al- 
ready driven  before  them  the  race  known  as  Cimmerians, 


390  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

the  vanquished  tribes  passing  on  to  Asia  Minor;  but  now, 
while  Cyaxares  was  investing  Nineveh,  immense  swarms 
of  the  Scj^thians  themselves  unexpectedly  broke  through 
the  mountain  passes,  and,  attacking  him  fiercely,  not 
only  compelled  him  to  raise  the  siege,  but  subjugated 
nearly  all  Media,  so  that  Cyaxares  for  many  years 
maintained  himself  only  with  difficulty  against  them. 
All  Asia,  in  its  more  cultivated  regions,  trembled  before 
this  sudden  irruption  of  desolating  barbarians.  The 
Cimmerian  hordes,  after  wasting  all  before  them,  finally 
spent  their  force  against  the  kingdom  of  Lydia,  in 
Asia  Minor,  and  sank  into  weakness,  but  the  Scythians 
showed  themselves  the  true  precursors  of  the  hordes  of 
Attila,  by  the  more  or  less  complete  overthrow,  with 
indescribable  ferocity,  of  all  the  kingdoms  on  the  east 
of  the  Taurus  range.  Their  fresh  and,  as  yet,  unbroken 
vigour  destroyed  all  before  it.  On  the  swift  and  hardy 
horses  of  the  steppes  they  overran  the  lands  which  they 
had  invaded  only  for  plunder,  ravaging  the  open  country 
rather  than  besieging  the  cities,  which  was  a  task 
beyond  their  military  skill,  though  they  were  able, 
notwithstanding,  to  overawe  and  gain  not  a  few  forti- 
fied towns.  So  terrible  was  their  advance  that  the 
settled  populations  everywhere  fled  before  them,  and 
so  deeply  was  the  memory  of  their  invasion  stamped  on 
all  the  nations  between  Persia  and  the  Mediterranean, 
that  they  became,  even  to  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  a  symbol 
of  desolating  vengeance,  as  the  Parthians  of  a  later  age 
did  to  the  Apostle  John.  No  wonder  that  the  later 
Persian  kings,  Cyrus  and  Darius,  dreading  a  repetition 
of  such  a  calamity,  strove  to  avert  it  by  an  invasion  of 
Scythia,  as  the  Romans  strove  to  ward  off  the  inroads 
of  the  German  and  Celtic  nations  by  carrying  their 
arms  beyond  the  Alps. 


JOSIAH. 


391 


These  terrible  invaders  seem  to  have  left  Nineveh 
untouched,  as  too  strong  for  them  to  take,  but  only- 
after  being  richly  bribed  to  turn  aside.  Passing  on  to 
the  south-west,  they  overran  the  territory  from  which 
the  Ten  Tribes  had  been  carried  off  to  Assyria  almost  a 
century  before,  and  advanced  to  Egypt,  which  Psam- 
metichus,  the  king,  succeeded,  by  rich  gifts,  in  bribing 
them  not  to  invade.  They  took  Askelon  in  the  Phil- 
istine plain,  however,  and 
left  their  name  in  central 
Palestine,  in  which  Beth- 
shean  was  henceforth 
known  as  the  ^^town  of 
the  Scythians.'^  But,  like 
the  hordes  of  Attila,  they 
had  come  only  to  waste 
and  plunder,  and  speedily 
withdrew,  when  the  land 
could  yield  them  nothing 
more. 

It  may  be  easily  con- 
jectured that  such  an  ap- 
palling danger  prepared 
the  popular  mind  in 
Jud^a  to  listen,  with  un- 
wonted readiness,  to  the  exhortations  of  prophets  like 
Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah,  who  called  all  to  repentance 
in  presence  of  such  a  visitation.  It  was  still  in  the 
early  youth  of  Josiah  when  Jerusalem  and  the  country 
round  trembled  at  this  unprecedented  peril,  and  no 
beginning  had  as  yet  been  made  to  rouse  the  kingdom 
from  the  deep  corruption  into  which  it  had  sunk  during 
the  reigns  of  Manasseh  and  Amon,  and  in  the  minority 
of  Josiah  himself.     If,   as  has   been  conjectured  from 


PSAMMETICHUS. 


392  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEE3. 

the  language  of  tlie  fifty-ninth  Psalm,  which  some  have 
attributed  to  Josiah,  Jerusalem  itself  was  besieged  or 
imperilled  by  these  Tartar  hordes  during  their  march 
against  Egypt,  the  depth  of  the  popular  excitement 
may  be  more  readily  imagined. 

Josiah  was  little  over  twenty  years  of  age  when  the 
danger  was  at  its  height.  In  his  utmost  need  he  had 
remained  firm  in  his  trust  on  Jehovah  for  deliverance, 
and  resolved,  when  that  deliverance  came,  to  show  his 
gratitude  by  a  thorough  reformation  of  the  religion  of 
the  land.  Acting  as  only  Eastern  monarchs  can,  he  set 
about  ridding  the  country  of  every  trace  of  idolatry. 
The  weakness  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy  had  left  the 
whole  of  Palestine  open  to  him,  and  he  had  conse- 
quently extended  his  territory  over  the  former  bounds 
of  the  Ten  Tribes,  as  far  as  Naphtali,  so  that  the  refor- 
mation could  be  carried  out  on  a  great  scale. 

Officers,  duly  appointed,  forthwith  commenced  the 
purification  of  the  land.  The  work  began  in  Jerusalem. 
The  images  and  altars  of  Baal  were  everywhere 
destroyed :  the  Asherahs  and  idols  of  various  kinds 
were  broken  to  pieces  and  ground  to  dust,  which  was 
strewn  on  graves,  to  defile  for  ever  what  had  been 
consecrated  to  such  uses.  The  sun,  the  moon,  and  the 
signs  of  the  zodiac  had  each  its  idolatrous  symbols,  but 
all  these  were  now  utterly  removed.  Human  bones 
burned  on  the  heathen  altars  rendered  them  for  ever 
unclean.  The  Valley  of  Hinnom — "The  wailing  of 
children  '^ — was  in  the  same  way  desecrated,  that  no 
one  might  any  longer  sacrifice  his  son  or  his  daughter 
there  to  Moloch,  as  in  the  past.  The  horses  used  by 
the  kings  of  Judah  in  state  processions  of  Baal  he 
removed,  and  burned  the  chariots  they  had  drawn  in 
these  pageants.     Altars  had  been  raised  to  idols  on  the 


JosiAH.  393 

roof  of  the  palace  by  former  monarclis ;  but  tbey  also 
were  destroyed,  and  the  same  fate  befel  those  which 
Manasseh  had  set  up  in  the  courts  of  the  Temple. 
Their  very  dust  was  carried  out  of  the  city_,  and 
strewed  in  the  neighbouring  valley  of  the  Kidron.  The 
high  places,  or  altars  built  by  Solomon  for  Ashtoreth, 
— ^^  The  abomination  of  the  people  of  Sidon," — and  for 
Chemosh, — *^The  abomination  of  the  Moabites,^^ — and 
for  Milcom, — "  The  abomination  of  the  Ammonites/' 
— were  defiled,  and  the  whole  city  thoroughly  freed, 
for  the  first  time  for  centuries,  from  the  heathen  sacred 
places  and  symbols,  which  Solomon  had  first  intro- 
duced with  such  lamentable  consequences. 

Nor  did  the  work  end  with  this.  The  ox-symbols 
of  Bethel  perished ;  and  everywhere  else,  through  the 
territory  of  all  Israel,  to  the  far  north,  no  relic  of 
idolatry  was  suffered  to  remain. 

It  was  the  eighteenth  year  of  Josiah's  reign  before 
this  great  undertaking  was  thoroughly  completed. 
Josiah  was  now  twenty-six  years  of  age,  and  seemed 
to  have  had  his  zeal  quickened  rather  than  exhausted 
by  his  past  activity.  An  event  now  took  place  fraught 
with  the  most  lasting  consequences  to  all  Israel.  The 
Temple  had  been  allowed  to  fall  into  disrepair  in  the 
heathen  times  gone  by,  and  commands  were  given  to 
restore  it.  Funds  were  obtained  by  voluntary  contri- 
butions from  all  Judah,  and  from  the  remnant  of  the 
Ten  Tribes  remaining  in  Israel.  Mount  Moriah  was 
crowded  with  artificers  of  all  kinds,  under  whose  hands 
the  desolate  sanctuary  gradually  rose  again  to  its 
former  beauty. 

In  the  midst  of  these  renovations,  Hilkiah,  the  high 
priest,  having  entered  some  long  overlooked  chamber, 
found  a  manuscript  which  proved  to  be  no  less  than  a 


394  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

copy  of  ^^the  Law  of  Jehovali  given  to  Moses."  So 
utterly  liad  religion  decayed  tliat  tlie  sacred  documents 
of  the  nation  liad  fallen  out  of  sight,  and  almost  of 
memory;  but,  under  such  a  king  as  Josiah,  the  dis- 
covery of  a  copy  of  these  priceless  treasures  was  sure 
to  be  rightly  used.  It  was  duly  handed  to  Shaphan, 
a  scribe^  who  carried  it  to  Josiah_,  and  read  it  in  his 
hearing.  The  promises  and  curses  it  contained  filled 
him  with  equal  alarm,  for  Judah  had  evidently  forfeited 
the  one,  and  drawn  down  on  itself  the  other.  Huldah, 
a  prophetess,  was  consulted,  and  her  words  only 
deepened  the  alarm.  The  elders  of  the  people  were 
next  convened,  with  the  priests  and  people  at  large^ 
as  far  as  the  courts  of  the  Temple  could  give  them 
standing  room,  and  the  "  Law  "  was  read  aloud  in  their 
hearing. 

The  covenant  made  by  Israel  with  Jehovah  of  old 
had  been  utterly  violated,  but  Josiah  was  not  without 
hope  that,  if  it  were  renewed  on  the  side  of  the  people, 
God  might  once  more  favour  them.  There  and  then, 
therefore,  he  formally  entered  into  it  again,  the  nation 
by  their  representatives  present  joining  him  in  the 
solemn  transaction. 

Nine  hundred  years  before,  Moses  had  instituted  the 
Passover  as  a  great  yearly  solemnity,  but  it  had  been 
rarely  observed  after  his  death,  and  apparently  had 
been  entirely  neglected  for  centuries.  Once,  in  Joshua's 
day,  it  had  been  observed  with  great  solemnity,  but 
although  Solomon  ofi'ered  great  sacrifices,  and  kept  a 
feast  of  two  weeks'  duration  at  the  consecration  of  the 
Temple,  the  Passover  is  not  mentioned  from  Joshua's 
day  to  that  of  Josiah,  a  period  of  about  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  years.  The  long  centuries  of  confusion  and 
barbarism,  known  as  the  age  of  the  Judges,  had  well- 


josiAH.  395 

nigli  obliterated  every  remembrance  of  the  ancient 
religion,  except  tlie  fact  that  Jebovah  was  the  God  of 
the  land,  however  little  honoured.  The  ceremonial 
worship  established  by  David  and  Solomon  had  speedily 
fallen  into  disuse  amidst  the  growth  of  heathenism  which 
marked  the  reign  of  the  latter,  and  it  had  only  for  a 
brief  moment,  at  widely  distant  intervals,  been  restored 
since. 

To  make  the  installation  of  the  national  faith  complete, 
the  Passover  was  now  once  more  to  be  held.  Many 
priests  had  served  Jehovah  in  connection  with  the  ox- 
symbols  of  Bethel,  and  others  had  in  various  ways  ren- 
dered themselves  disqualified  for  priestly  duties.  These 
were  relegated  to  inferior  posts,  and  made  to  eat  apart. 
Others  not  thus  defiled  were  put  in  training ;  a  choir  of 
Levites  was  enrolled ;  the  Temple  service  was  carefully 
reconstituted,  and  in  due  time  the  Passover  was  held 
with  the  utmost  exactness,  by  all  the  people,  with  the 
king  and  court  at  their  head. 

From  this  time  nothing  is  told  during  an  interval  of 
thirteen  years.  Meanwhile  Josiah  had  prospered  and 
had  won  the  loving  admiration  of  his  subjects.  He  was 
now  thirty-nine  years  of  age,  and  might  have  expected 
many  years  of  useful  and  honoured  life.  But  his  end 
was  near. 

The  weakness  of  the  Assyrian  monarchy  had  tempted 
Pharaoh  Necho,  a  warlike  king  of  Egypt,  to  enter  into 
an  alliance  with  Nabopolassar,  king  of  Babylon,  against 
Nineveh,  and  for  this  end  he  marched  an  army  along  the 
sea-coast  plain  of  Palestine,  to  that  of  Esdraelon,  on  his 
way  to  the  Euphrates.  From  whatever  motive,  Josiah, 
though  remonstrated  with  by  Necho  himself,  deter- 
mined to  bar  the  way,  and  the  result  was  a  battle,  near 
the  town  of  Megiddo,  in  which  this,  the  last  king  of 


396 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 


Judah  wlio  merited  tlie  name  of  great  or  good_,  fell, 
mortally  wounded. 

The  intensity  of  tlie  sorrow  felt  for  Mm  by  all  his 
people  may  be  gathered  from  many  indications  left  us. 
His  memory  was  cherished  in  ballads  sung  by  genera- 
tion after  generation.  Jeremiah  lamented  him  in  his 
prophecies,  and  the  fatal  spot  where  he  perished  became 
so  identified  in  the  Jewish  mind  with  slaughter  and  woe, 
that  in  the  Apocalypse  the  last  terrible  visitation  of 
mystic  vision  is  described  as  taking  place  at  a  spot 
^'  called,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon,"  ^ — ^'  The 
hill  of  Megiddo," — the  scene  of  Josiah^s  death,  and  of 
the  eclipse  of  the  last  glory  of  Judah  ! 

1  Eev.  xvi.  16. 


JEHOIAKIM. 

B.C.  598-610. 

THE  rout  of  tlie  army  of  Judali  under  Josiali,  at 
tlie  fatal  battle  of  Megiddo,  liad  been  so  com- 
plete_,  that  Pbaraob  Neclio,  tlie  victor,  did  not  turn 
from  his  onward  march  against  Nineveh,  to  follow  it 
up.  Three  months  after  the  death  of  the  Jewish  king, 
he  had  pitched  his  camp,  for  the  time,  at  Riblah,  near 
Hamath,  on  the  Orontes,  a  town  on  the  direct  road  to 
the  Euphrates,  having  already,  by  his  advance,  made 
himself  master  of  the  Assyrian  province  of  Northern 
Syria. 

Left  thus  to  themselves  the  population  of  Jerusalem 
foolishly  imagined  they  were  still  independent,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  elect  a  king  in  the  room  of  Josiah.  There 
were  three  surviving  princes  from  whom  to  chose,  sons 
of  their  late  ruler  by  different  mothers — Eliakim,  the 
eldest,  son  of  Zebudah,  and  Shallum  and  Mattaniah, 
sons  of  Hamutal.^  From  what  reason  is  not  stated, 
popular  favour  selected  the  fourth  son,  Shallum,  per- 
haps as  a  child  of  the  best-loved  wife  of  Josiah. 
Having  received  the  sacred  anointing  from  the   high 

1  There  had  been  four,  but  the  eldest  h.od  apparently  died  (1 
Chron.  iii.  15). 

S9r 


398  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

priest^  tlie  new  monarcli^  according  to  custom^  assumed 
a  new  name — Jehoaliaz — He  whom  Jeliovali  sustains; 
but  his  reign  only  lasted  till  messengers  from  Rib- 
lab.  announced  the  displeasure  of  the  Pharaoh  at  his 
accession.  Henceforward  Judah  was  to  remember  it 
was  a  vassal  province,  and  leave  the  appointment  of  its 
ruler  to  the  Egyptian  suzerain.  To  have  allowed  him- 
self to  be  chosen  king,  and  to  have  accepted  the  dignity 
without  the  sanction  of  Necho,  was  audacity  to  be  sorely 
punished.  Resistance  to  the  Egyptian  mandate  was 
useless,  and  Jehoahaz,  bowing  to  his  fate,  was  carried 
off  a  prisoner  to  Riblah.  Thence  he  seems  to  have 
been  sent  at  once  to  Egypt,  where  he  lingered  as  a 
captive,  no  one  knows  how  long,  till  his  death.  Far 
better  have  died  on  the  field  of  battle  like  his  father. 
He  had  given  promise  of  vigour,  for  Ezekiel  describes 
him  as  a  "young  lion  that  had  learned  to  catch  his 
prey,  to  devour  men.^^  But  "the  heathen  heard  of 
him,  and  he  was  snared  in  their  pit,  and  they  led  him 
off  with  a  ring  in  his  lips,  to  the  land  of  Egypt.'' 
''Weep  not  for  the  dead,"  cried  Jeremiah  in  allusion 
to  his  fate,  "  neither  bewail  him ;  but  weep  sore  for  him 
that  goeth  away;  for  he  shall  return  no  more,  nor  see 
his  native  country." 

In  his  place  Pharaoh  set  up  Eliakim,  the  elder 
brother,  as  a  puppet  king,  on  the  condition  of  his 
paying  tribute  to  his  liege  lord,  and  in  all  things  obey- 
ing his  will.  The  name  chosen  by  the  new  dignitary 
was  Jehoiakim — He  whom  Jehovah  has  set  up. 

The  character  of  the  master  thus  imposed  on  Judah 
by  its  conqueror  was  shown  by  his  accepting'  the  crown 
on  such  terms.  He  agreed  to  pay  yearly  to  Egypt,  one 
hundred  talents  of  silver  and  one  talent  of  gold,  equal, 
nominally,  to  from  £80,000  to  £90,000,  but  of  very  much 


JEHOIAKIM.  399 

greater  value  tlian  tliat  sura  is  now.  To  so  small  a 
kingdom  as  Judali  this  was  a  terrible  burden,  but  its 
pressure  was  aggravated  by  tbe  barsb  and  unfeeling 
coarseness  used  to  extort  it  from  tbe  petty  community. 
Nor  was  tbis  tbe  heaviest  of  their  taxes.  Armed  men 
were  employed  to  wring  from  the  people  further  heavy 
amounts,  to  enable  Jehoiakim  to  play  the  king  on  a 
scale  far  beyond  what  his  little  principality  was  able  to 
b'ear.  Without  ordinary  prudence  as  well  as  without 
heart,  he  lavished  expense  on  royal  state  and  grand 
buildings,  adorning  Jerusalem,  already  sinking  to  its 
final  ruin — as  men  at  a  later  time  said — ^like  a  sacrifice 
wreathed  with  garlands  when  about  to  be  led  to  the 
altar.  A  great  palace  was  built  by  forced  labour,^  with 
spacious  halls  roofed  with  cedar  from  Lebanon,  lighted 
by  many  windows,  and  set  off  with  vermilion.  Other 
notable  structures  also  rose  in  the  city,  and  perhaps, 
among  the  rest,  the  stronghold  on  Ophel,  begun  by 
Manasseh,^  and  known  as  "his  house,  in  the  garden 
of  Uzzah.^'  How  much  suffering  and  wrong  all  this 
involved  reveals  itself  in  the  language  used  respecting 
the  tyrant — that  "  he  built  the  city  with  blood,  and  his 
citadel  with  iniquity."  • 

The  prosperity  of  the  reign  of  Josiah  had  perished 
with  him.  Judah  had  lost  the  flower  of  its  manhood 
in  the  disastrous  battle  in  which  he  fell.  Ere  long  his 
youngest  son  lay  a  captive  in  the  dungeons  of  Pharaoh. 
Men  had  fancied  that  when  the  worship  of  Jehovah  was 
set  up  so  zealously  by  the  good  king,  and  "  the  Book  of 
the  Law,'^  then  newly  found,  had  been  made  the  basis 
of  a  covenant  between  God  and  His  people,  a  bright 
future  awaited  them.  But  the  Indian  summer  of 
JosiaVs  reign  had  soon  ended  in  ever  deepening  gloom. 
>  Jer.  xxii.  12.  2  2  Kings  xxi.  18. 


400  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTERS. 

Troubles  seemed  to  chase  eacli  other  like  tlie  shadows 
of  clouds  over  the  fields.  Men  began  to  look  back  to 
the  days  of  heathenism^  and  fancy  they  were  as  happy 
as  the  present  were  sad,  for  distance  always  softens  the 
landscape.  ^^  We  shall  burn  incense/^  said  the  people, 
'^  and  pour  out  drink-offerings  to  the  queen  of  heaven, 
as  we  have  done,  we  and  our  fathers,  our  kings  and 
our  princes,  in  the  cities  of  Judah  and  in  the  streets 
of  Jerusalem;  for  then  we  had  plenty  of  victual,  and 
were  well,  and  saw  no  evil." 

Jehoiakim  was  only  too  ready  to  give  his  support  to 
this  reaction  in  favour  of  idolatry,  and  it  consequently 
grew  rampant.  The  great  prophets  of  the  time, 
Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  paint  a  state  of  things  other- 
wise almost  incredible.  In  some  of  the  underground 
chambers  or  vaults  of  the  Temple  the  sacred  animals  of 
Egypt,  the  gods  of  Jehoiakim's  patron,  Pharaoh,  were 
worshipped  amidst  clouds  of  incense.  At  the  north 
gate  of  the  Temple  women  sat  wailing  aloud  for  the 
death  of  the  Phenician  god  Tammuz  or  Adonis.^  Still 
worse,  in  the  inner  court,  between  the  porch  of  the 
Holy  Place  and  the  great  brazen  altar  before  it,  Ezekiel 
saw  a  gathering  of  priests  standing  with  their  backs  to 
the  Temple  and  their  faces  to  the  east,  worshipping  the 
rising  sun,  as  the  god  Baal.  The  gods  of  Judah  were 
as  numerous  as  her  towns. ^  Idols  of  gold  and  silver, 
wood  and  stone  were  worshipped  in  private  houses ;  the 
obscene  symbols  of  Baal  worship  among  others.^  The 
hill  tops  smoked  with  the  sacrifices  of  idolatrous  high 
places.  Every  clump  of  green  trees  was  defiled  by  the 
impure  rites  of  Astarte.  In  the  valley  of  Hinnom, 
under  the  walls  of   Jerusalem,  was  once  more  heard 

*  Ezek.  viii.  3, 10, 11,  14  2  jg^..  xi.  13. 

^  Jer.  vii.  31 ;  x'u,  5.    Isa,  Ivii.  5. 


JEHOIAKIM.  401 

the  wild  tumult  of  MolocL.  worship  in  wMcli  cliildren 
were  burnt  alive  to  propitiate  the  god. 

The  morals  of  the  State  were  in  keeping  with  this 
degraded  religion.  In  the  pages  of  the  prophets  they 
are  painted  as  utterly  corrupt  in  all  grades  of  society. 
A  little  band^  indeed,  remained  faithful  to  Jehovah, 
with  men  like  Jeremiah,  Baruch,  Habakkuk,  and 
Urijah,  the  prophets,  as  its  animating  spirits,  but  they 
were  powerless  to  stem  the  torrent  of  evil.  They  were, 
indeed,  exposed  to  relentless  and  constant  opposition 
for  their  fidelity  in  rebuking  the  sin  around  them. 
Life  became  a  burden  to  them  so  that  they  sighed  for 
a  ^^ lodge  in  the  wilderness^'  to  escape  from  the  con- 
fusion and  sin  around,  but  duty  forbade  their  with- 
drawing from  the  sphere  in  which  their  Master  had 
placed  them,  as  long  as  it  was  possible  to  remain  in  it. 
Some  even  sufi'ered  the  last  extremities  of  persecution. 
Jeremiah  had  to  endure  the  stocks  and  the  underground 
rain-pit,  made  into  a  prison,  and  had  to  flee  from  Judah 
to  save  his  life.  Urijah  fled,  but  only  to  be  brought 
back  from  Egypt,  at  the  request  of  Jehoiakim  to  his 
master  the  Pharaoh,  and  basely  put  to  death  in  Jeru- 
salem. Nature  itself  seemed,  at  times,  to  protest  against 
such  wickedness,  for  the  heavens  refused  their  rain, 
and  the  country  languished  under  a  terrible  drought ;  ^ 
the  punishment,  said  the  prophets,  of  the  prevailing 
iniquity.  Attack  from  without  was  foretold,  with  utter 
ruin  of  the  country  and  captivity  of  the  population  in 
a  foreign  land.  The  relations  with  Egypt  would  bring 
this  about.  Such  an  attitude  on  the  part  of  the 
preachers  of  the  day,  directly  opposing  the  sentiment 
and  practice  of  their  contemporaries,  made  the  prophets 
hated  by  high  and  low.  The  strict  observance  of  the 
*  Jer.  xiv.  6. 

D  0 


402  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

Sabbatli  under  JosiaL.  had  given  place  to  general  pro- 
fanation of  its  sacred  hours.  Tlie  weekly  market^,  witli 
its  noisy  huckstering  and  traffic,,  was  held  on  the  sacred 
day.  This  also  the  prophets  vigorously  denounced^  but 
without  moving  the  people  to  a  reformation. 

Meanwhile  Nineveh  had  fallen,  and  the  power  of 
Babylon  under  Nebuchadnezzar  was  in  the  ascendant. 
He  had  shattered  the  army  of  Pharaoh  at  the  battle  of 
Carchemish  on  the  Euphrates,  and  marched  towards 
Palestine  to  wrest  it  from  Egypt  and  bring  it  once 
more  under  Assyrian  influence,  as  in  former  times.  The 
heir  of  Assyria,  he  claimed  all  its  provinces.  Jeremiah 
from  the  first  saw  the  result.  Babylon  would  conquer. 
Judah  Avould  be  crushed  and  its  people  carried  into 
slavery  for  seventy  years,  in  Babylonia.  Things  were 
coming  to  a  crisis.  Every  attempt  to  rouse  the  nation 
to  religious  reform,  in  which  alone  lay  its  safety,  had 
failed.  The  faithful  prophet,  as  a  last  effort,  caused  all 
his  utterances,  duly  written  out  on  a  long  roll,  to  be 
read  aloud  before  a  great  assembly  of  the  people,  in  the 
Temple,  when  it  was  thronged  with  worshippers.  The 
terrible  words  alarmed  them  all.  A  visible  shudder  ran 
through  the  hearers.^  At  last,  when  Nebuchadnezzar 
was  approaching  Jerusalem,  they  realized  that  Jeremiah 
spoke  for  God.  Prayer  and  lamentation  filled  the  air. 
The  excitement  spread  through  the  city.  Baruch,  who 
had  read  out  the  prophet's  words  in  the  Temple,  was 
brought  to  the  chamber  of  the  royal  council  and  re- 
quired to  read  them  again.  It  was  then  felt  that 
the  king  himself  must  hear  words  so  ominous  and  of 
such  Divine  authority.  The  roll  was  taken  to  the  palace 
where  Jehoiakim  sat,  in  a  chamber  heated  by  a  brazier 
on  the  floor,  as  the  custom  is  still,  it  being  in  the  cold 
*  Heh.,  Jer.  xxxvi.  16. 


JEHOIAKIM. 


403 


Winter  months.  But  tlie  hope  that  he  -would  bow  be- 
fore the  awful  words  of  the  seer  was  soon  disappointed. 
Seizing  the  roll  from  the  hand  of  the  reader,  he  deliber- 
ately cut  it  into  fragments  with  a  scribe's  knife,  and 
burnt  them  in  the  glowing  charcoal.  He  laughed  at 
God  and  man  !  Could  he  get  hold  of  the  prophets  they 
should  pay  with  their  lives  for  troubling  him  thus. 
Jeremiah  and  Baruch  had  to  flee  into  concealment, 
whence  the  prophet  seems  to  have  escaped  and  wan- 
dered to  Babylon, returning  only  after  Jehoiakim's  death. 

Such  defiant  impiety 
drew  down  on  it  from  the 
Almighty,  through  His  in- 
sulted servant,  the  utter- 
ance of  a  curse  terrible 
even  yet  to  read.  He 
would  have  no  son  to  sit 
on  the  throne  of  David, 
and  his  dead  body  would 
be  cast  out,  to  lie,  un- 
buried,  in  the  heat  by  day 
and  the  frost  by  night.^ 
He  would  be  buried  with 
the  burial  of  an  ass.^ 

The  summons  of  Nebuchadnezzar  had  forced  Jehoiakim 
instantly  to  abandon  his  Egyptian  relations  and  submit, 
in  terror,  to  the  Chaldeans.  Had  he  been  loyal  to  his 
new  masters,  his  reign,  though  ignominious,  might  have 
continued  to  his  death,  however  long  he  lived.  But 
after  three  years  of  compulsory  submission,  he  was  mad 
enough  to  listen  to  the  Egyptian  faction  in  Jerusalem, 
who  counselled  a  revolt  in  favour  of  Necho,  the  defeated 
foe  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Swift  vengeance  followed.  A 
1  Jer.  xxxvi.  29-31.  ^  Jer.  xxii.  13-19. 


Egyptians  PEixiNG.— TFil/aiison. 


404  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTEES. 

Clialdean  force  appeared  at  tlie  gates  of  tlie  citj^  wMch 
were  necessarily  thrown  open  before  it^  tliat  prompt 
repentance  migM  mitigate  punishment.  But  a  severe 
penalty  was  exacted.  Heavier  tribute  than  before  was 
imposed^  and  Judab  saw  witb  sbame  tbe  finest  vessels 
of  tbe  Temple  carried  off  as  spoil  to  grace  tbe  beatben 
sbrines  of  Babylon. 

Tbe  closing  years  of  Jeboiakim's  reign  were  increas- 
ingly calamitous.  Forced  to  submit  to  tbe  Cbaldeans, 
but  in  beart  passionately  Egyptian^  be  struggled  against 
a  fate  wbicb  be  could  not  alter.  Secret  plotting  only 
irritated  Nebucbadnezzar.  Tbat  tbe  country  sbould  be 
constantly  disturbed  by  tbe  refractoriness  of  a  poor 
kinglet  like  Jeboiakim  was  intolerable.  Circumstances 
prevented  tbe  Cbaldean  king  sending  an  army_,  but  be 
could  let  loose  on  Jerusalem  tbe  turbulent  figbting  men 
of  soutbern  Syria — Moab  and  Ammon — tbe  hereditary 
enemies  of  tbe  Jew.  Tbeir  raids  migbt  sweep  up  tbe 
passes  and  waste  tbe  country.  Jeboiakim  could  be 
paralysed  in  bis  sinister  activity  for  Egypt^  until  tbe 
Great  King  was  ready  to  swoop  down  on  bis  capital 
and  destroy  bim.  Tbe  fate  of  Judab  was  disastrous. 
Assailed  by  all  tbe  nations  rounds  tbe  prophets  could 
only  compare  her  to  a  speckled  bird  attacked  by  all  its 
neighbours.^ 

At  last^  in  B.C.  598^  Nebuchadnezzar  set  out  to  con- 
quer Egypt^  marching  necessarily  along  the  coast  of 
Palestine.  With  his  army  were  strong  contingents  from 
all  tbe  native  races^  every  one  of  which  hated  Judab. 
But  before  Jerusalem  could  be  taken  Jeboiakim  died,  it 
is  not  known  bow.  He  may  have  fallen  in  a  skirmish, 
or  it  may  have  been  tbat  be  met  his  death  in  a  battle 
witb  tbe  Chaldeans^  and  was  left  unburied.  One  tra- 
^  Jer.  xii.  7-17. 


JEHOIAKIM. 


405 


dition  speaks  of  him  as  having  been  murdered  in  Jeru- 
salem and  cast  out  in  the  streets ;  another_,  of  his  having 
been  enticed  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  camp  and  then  put 
to  death  and  left  without  a  grave. 

But  whatever  the  mode  of  his  death^  no  funeral  dirge 
was  raised  for  this  recreant  son  of  Josiah,,  ar.d  his  corpse 
was  left  to  rot  on  the  waste  ground  outside  the  gates. 
Ultimately,  indeed,  according  to  the  Greek  Bible,  his 
body  was  rescued  from  this  last  disgrace  and  interred 
with  that  of  his  father  in  the  garden  of  Uzzah.  But 
the  Rabbis  tell  us  that  on  the  parched  skin  of  the 
corpse,  as  it  lay  naked  before  all,  were  to  be  seen  the 
letters  of  the  name  Codonazer,  the  devil  to  whom  he 
had  sold  his  soul.^ 

*  Thenius  on  2  Kings  xxiv.  6. 


MOIOCH-Ox-HBADED,  OS  X  Gbm  FROM  NiKBVBH  (pi  je  401).— Layard. 


JOB. 

THE  Book  of  Job^  at  what  period  soever  it  may  have 
been  written^  brings  before  us  a  picture  of  tbe 
patriarcbal  age.  Its  descriptions  of  manners  and  cus- 
toms^ domestic,  social,  and  political,  and  even  its  indirect 
allusions  and  illustrations,  breatlie  of  the  earliest  times. 
It  carries  us  to  the  tent  of  an  Eastern  Emir,  living  as  a 
petty  prince  amidst  bis  followers  and  friends  and  herds. 
We  feel  the  air  of  the  desert,  and  meet  an  antique  sim- 
plicity of  life  that  carries  us  back  to  remote  ages. 

The  scene  is  laid  in  the  land  of  XJz,  a  district  some- 
where in  the  region  of  Bashan,  across  the  Jordan,^  bor- 
dering the  eastern  desert,  so  that  the  wandering  robber 
hordes  of  Chaldeans  could  make  an  easy  descent  on  it, 
and  open  on  the  south  to  Edom.  Eliphaz  and  Teman 
are  Idumasan  names,  and  other  indications  of  relation- 
ship to  Edom  occur.  The  caravan  route  to  Egypt  ran 
through  it,  and  created  an  intercourse  with  that  country 
which  explains  the  many  references  found  in  Job  to  the 
animals  of  Egypt,  and  to  its  customs  and  civilization. 

Job  is  represented    as  the  head  of  a  great  pastoral 

household,  like  Abraham,   Isaac,  or  Jacob.     Like  the 

Emirs  still  found  in  the  wide  open  spaces  of  the  East, 

he  possessed  immense  wealth  in  cattle  and  flocks.    Seven 

*  Hours  with  the  Bible,  i.  262. 

40G 


JOB.  407 

thousand  steep  and  three  thousand  camels  grazed  under 
the  charge  of  his  shepherds ;  five  hundred  yoke  of  oxen 
bespoke  his  having  wide  stretches  of  land  under  the 
plough,  and  five  hundred  she-asses  supplied  milk  for 
his  family  and  attendants,  and  provided  the  means  of 
easy  travelling  and  of  state.  The  horse  had  not  yet 
been  introduced  as  the  pride  and  glory  of  an  Arab  es- 
tablishment. Such  wealth  implies  what  the  sacred  nar- 
rative tells  us,  that  Job's  household  was  very  great ; 
that,  in  fact,  he  was  a  Sheik,  with  many  hundred  men 
and  their  families  dependent  on  him,  and  obeying  him 
as  their  chief  and  master. 

Surrounded  by  such  patriarchal  glory.  Job  might 
have  been  excused  had  he  looked  upon  his  position  as 
beyond  the  reach  of  misfortune,  so  far  as  regarded  his 
temporal  ease  and  comfort.  One  son  is  counted  in  the 
East  a  special  honour,  in  the  guarantee  it  gives  of  the 
perpetuation  of  his  father's  house  and  name,  but  Job 
had  no  fewer  than  seven,  and  he  had,  besides,  three 
daughters,  whose  future  alliances  he  might  anticipate 
as  so  many  additions  to  the  family  dignity  and  con- 
sequence. 

While  thus  exalted  in  station,  he  was,  moreover,  very 
much  higher  in  culture  than  personages  in  the  same 
social  position  among  pastoral  tribes  in  the  East  in  our 
own  day.  Like  Isaac  he  pitched  his  tents  in  districts 
near  the  busy  life  of  towns,  and  at  times  even  exchanged 
the  primitive  state  of  his  Arab  life  for  the  streets  and 
market-places  of  the  city. 

There  he  was  treated,  as  we  can  fancy  Abraham  to 

have  been  among  the  people  of  his  time,  as  a  prince,  a 

judge,  and  a  famous  warrior,^  before  whom  the  young 

shrank   back,   as   unworthy  to   stand   in  his  presence, 

^  Job  xxix.  7-17. 


408  OLD   TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

while  tlie  old  rose  up  to  pay  him  revereiice_,  and  princes 
and  nobles  were  silent,  waiting  till  lie  should  speak. 
Among  them  all  he  was  raised  to  be  the  judge,  from 
whose  seat  in  the  gate,  or  in  the  market-place,  supreme 
decisions  were  to  go  forth. 

Nor  was  his  intelligence  merely  the  shrewdness  of 
local  knowledge.  Either  from  living  on  the  line  of 
commercial  intercourse  with  Egypt,  or  from  having 
travelled  in  that  country  himself,  he  describes  the  Egyp- 
tian gold  mines  in  the  peninsula  of  Sinai ;  the  great 
buildings  of  the  Nile  valleys,  and  its  great  tombs ;  the 
war  horse,  for  which  Egypt  was  then  famous ;  and  the 
hippopotamus  and  crocodile  of  its  mighty  river.  The 
arts  and  productions  of  the  Egyptians  also  are  often 
alluded  to  by  him,  and  he  was  even  acquainted  with 
their  forms  of  legal  procedure.^ 

It  was  a  wise  proverb,  however,  of  antiquity,  that  no 
one  should  be  counted  happy  till  the  whole  of  his  life 
had  run.  Calamity  had  marked  this  supremely  pros- 
perous man  as  its  own.  He  was  a  pattern  of  simple 
devoutness,  for  not  even  a  household  festivity  could  be 
held  without  his  following  it  by  a  burnt-offering  for  each 
of  his  children,  presented  at  the  earliest  light  of  the 
following  morning,  lest  they  might  have  sinned  during 
their  rejoicings.  It  seemed  as  if  such  humble  godliness 
might  itself  have  been  a  hedge  to  him  from  all  afflictive 
visitations.  But,  as  the  old  puritans  were  wont  to  say, 
you  can  never  judge  the  heart  of  God  from  His  hand, 
for,  to  use  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  ^'whom  He  loveth 
He  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  Avhom  He  re- 
ceiveth.^^  Job  was  to  drink  the  cup  of  misery  to  the 
dregs. 

^  Job  iii.  13, 14 ;  vii.  12 ;  viii.  11-13 ;  ix.  26 ;  xxvii.  16 ;  xxviii. 
1-11;  xxxi.  35. 


JOB. .  409 

His  calamity  was  all  tlie  heavier  that  it  burst  on  him 
without  warning.  The  same  day  saw  his  flocks  and 
herds  driven  off  by  plundering  bands  from  the  wilder- 
ness or  destroyed  by  a  storm^  and  his  sons  and  daugh- 
ters killed  at  one  stroke  by  a  wild  desert  whirlwind. 
From  a  great  and  prosperous  Sheik  he  had  sunk  at  once 
to  abject  poverty.  Even  his  servants  were  gone,  for 
the  robber  hordes  who  had  carried  off  his  oxen,  and 
sheep,  and  asses,  and  camels,  had  slain  all  his  depen- 
dants in  their  defence  of  their  master's  property. 

Nothing  can  be  grander  than  the  spirit  in  which  Job 
is  represented  as  receiving  the  terrible  news  of  disaster 
after  disaster.  '^  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's 
womb/'  said  he,  ^'  and  naked  shall  I  return  thither  : 
Jehovah  gave,  and  Jehovah  hath  taken  away ;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  Jehovah."  Rending  his  mantle  and 
shaving  his  head,  in  token  of  profound  grief,  he  still 
clung  to  his  religious  trust,  and  prostrating  himself  on 
the  earth,  worshipped  the  great  name  of  his  God. 

But  there  was  still  a  lower  depth  of  trouble  before 
him.  Leprosy,  in  its  worst  form  of  elephantiasis,  broke 
out  on  his  body,  and  he  had  to  go  outside  the  city,  away 
from  man,  and  was  fain  to  rest  on  the  ash  heaps  beyond 
the  walls. 

The  object  of  recounting  this  story  of  unparalleled 
affliction  is  evident  from  what  follows.  It  was  to  give 
an  opportunity  for  full  discussion  of  the  great  question 
of  the  origin  of  evil  in  human  life,  to  expose  the  fallacy 
of  some  opinions  held  respecting  it,  and  to  vindicate,  in 
the  end,  the  ways  of  Providence  to  man. 

Even  to  the  latest  periods  it  was  the  prevailing  idea 
of  antiquity  that  special  afflictions  were  the  direct 
punishment  of  corresponding  sins  committed  by  tho 
sufferer,  or,  in  some  extreme  cases,  by  his  parents  or 


410  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

forefathers.  But  even  wlien  tlie  greatness  of  the  punisli- 
ment  seemed  excessive  as  a  retribution  for  the  sins  of 
the  afflicted  one_,  it  was  still  held^  that  but  for  his  being 
a  sinner  personally,  the  curse  would  not  have  descended 
on  him. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  ancient  world  had  not  clearer 
ideas  of  the  cause  of  suffering,  for  the  mystery  of  evil  is 
too  great_,  the  various  circumstances  that  entail  affliction 
too  numerous  and  complicated,  to  make  an  explanation 
easy.  In  any  case,  it  is  certain  that  the  notion  of  exact 
retaliation,  which  is  found  in  the  laws  of  Moses,  was 
supposed  by  antiquity  at  large  to  be  that  on  which  Pro- 
vidence acted.  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a 
tooth,  became  the  fundamental  conception  of  the  Divine 
government,  not  only  among  the  Jews,  but  among  other 
nations.  Thus,  when  Hillel,  the  greatest  of  the  Rabbis, 
saw  a  skull  floating  on  the  water,  he  is  said  to  have 
cried  out,  "  Thou  art  thyself  drowned  because  thou  hast 
drowned  some  one,  and  he  who  drowned  thee  will  him- 
self be  drowned !  " 

That  this  should  have  been  so  shows  that  the  lessons 
of  the  Book  of  Job  were  lost  on  Jewish  theologians,  for 
it  is  its  great  object  to  combat  such  a  conception  of  the 
providential  government  of  God.  The  wisdom  and  ex- 
perience of  the  age  are  introduced  in  the  utterances  of 
three  friends,  who  come  to  condole  with  the  sufferer, 
but  cannot,  in  spite  of  their  sympathy,  rid  themselves  of 
the  belief  that  there  must  be  a  secret  cause,  in  Job's 
sinfulness,  for  such  a  visitation.  Step  by  step  their 
views  are  given,  with  great  beauty  and  poetic  power, 
but  Job  in  each  case  repudiates  their  premises  or  con- 
clusions, and  in  the  end  he  is  justified  by  God  Himself 
in  his  refusal  to  admit  them.  The  secrets  of  the  Divine 
government  remain  indeed,  as  they  must  ever  remain. 


JOB.  411 

impenetrable,  but  tlie  lessons  of  care  and  goodness  seen 
in  nature,  are  made  the  sufficient  grounds  for  a  firm 
confidence  that  the  same  wisdom  and  love  rule  in  the 
affairs  of  men. 

The  narrative  in  which  all  this  is  embodied,  is  touch- 
ing and  dramatic  in  the  highest  degree.  Job  is  repre- 
sented as  having  been  so  long  struck  with  the  leprosy, 
that  it  has  shown  itself  off'ensively  on  his  skin,  thus 
marking  him,  as  it  were,  Avith  the  special  sign  of 
Divine  anger.  Three  of  his  friends,  having  heard  of 
his  calamity,  come  from  their  distant  homes  to  condole 
with  him :  Eliphaz, — '^  God  is  his  strength/' — from  a 
part  of  Arabia  or  Edom  called  Tern  an  ;  Bildad, — ''  The 
son  of  contention/' — of  the  Arab  tribe  of  Shuhites  ;  and 
Zophar,  from  a  district  called  Naamah,  now  unknown. 

In  accordance  with  Eastern  manners,  the  three 
friends  sat  in  silence  on  the  ground  beside  Job  for  a 
whole  week  ;  their  heads  strewn  with  dust  and  their 
mantles  rent,  in  token  of  profound  grief.  But  though 
they  showed  the  outward  forms  of  sympathy  they  were 
far  from  thinking  that  the  sufferings  they  lamented 
were  undeserved;  and  at  last,  on  Job's  passionately 
bewailing  his  ever  having  been  born,  could  no  longer 
restrain  remonstrance  with  him,  on  what  seemed  his 
self-righteous  spirit.  In  their  eyes  he  ought  rather  to 
have  owned  the  sin  which  had  brought  on  him  such  a 
visitation. 

Eliphaz  was  the  first  to  speak,  and  he  does  so  with 
art  and  tenderness,  mingled  with  what  he  deemed 
faithfulness.  Convinced  of  Job's  guilt,  he  yet  desires 
to  spare  him  as  much  as  possible.  He  reminds  him  of 
his  former  position  as  contrasted  with  his  present,  and 
the  suspicion  that  cannot  be  kept  back  of  there  being 
a  cause  for  it.     As  he  goes  on  he  passes  to  more  open 


412  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

blame,  rising,  as  it  were,  from  a  gentle  breath  to  a 
strong  and  overpowering  wind,  in  bis  discourse.  In 
bis  experience  only  tbe  wicked,  struck  by  God^s 
avenging  anger,  are  crusbed  bopelessly.  Man  is  un- 
clean, in  any  case,  before  tbe  Almigbty,  and  bence 
doomed  to  affliction.  He  cannot,  tberefore,  witbout  tbe 
boldest  sin,  venture  to  be  offended  at  God^s  dispensa- 
tions. Yet  be  bopes  tbe  best  from  tbe  Divine  mercy, 
for  it  can  deliver  man,  wben  penitent,  from  tbe  worst 
calamities,  and  give  bim  a  bappy  close  of  life. 

Job's  reply  expresses  bis  bitter  disappointment  at  tbe 
tone  of  Elipbaz.  He  is  unwilling  to  enter  into  any 
controversy,  but  be  cannot  refrain  from  repudiating 
baving  ever  acted  consciously  against  God.  He  can- 
not refrain  bis  laments,  for  no  man  bad  ever  suffered 
as' be  bas  done.  His  despairing  wisb  for  deatb  must 
find  vent.  His  friends  bave  dug  a  pit  for  bim  :  tbeir 
first  words  of  comfort  bave  been  like  a  passing  stream, 
wbicb  bas  left  dry  tbe  cbannel  tbat  for  a  time  promised 
so  fair.  Wby  does  God  visit  a  weak  cbild  of  dust  so 
terribly,  even  if  be  bave  sinned  ?  wby  does  He  not 
pardon,  ratber  tban  punisb,  one  so  belpless  ? 

In  tbis  speecb  Job  bad  put  a  new  weapon  into  tbe 
bands  of  bis  censors,  for  be  bad,  apparently,  cbarged 
God  witb  unrigbteousness,  at  least  in  bis  case.  Bildad 
fortbwitb  replies  tbat  it  is  wicked  even  to  tbink  tbat 
God  could  be  unjust.  He  cannot  do  wbat  is  wrong ; 
and  since  sufferings  are  assumed  to  be  punisbment  for 
sin,  He  cannot  punisb  tbe  innocent.  Tberefore  let  Job 
repent,  tbat  be  may  bave  bis  afflictions  removed  by 
Divine  grace,  before  certain  destruction  strike  bim 
down^  as  it  does  all  tbe  foolisb  wbo  tbink  tbey  can 
prosper  witbout  God's  belp.  He  quotes  tbe  belief  of 
tbe  ancients,  tbat  every  sinner  is  on  tbe  way  to  sure 


JOB.  413 

and  sudden  destruction ;  but  if  Job  return  to  God  by- 
repentance  He  will  yet  fill  his  moutli  with  laughing  and 
his  lips  with  rejoicing. 

Job  sees  that  he  has  wholly  failed  to  bring  his  friends 
to  his  way  of  thinking,  and  that  it  has  been  of  no  use 
that  he  kept  from  discussion  with  them.  He  shrinks 
even  yet  from  openly  arguing  against  them,  but  cannot 
refrain  from  noticing  the  main  points  in  their  speeches. 
He  does  so,  as  if  talking  with  himself  rather  than 
answering  them ;  admitting  what  he  had  felt  to  be  true 
in  their  words,  but  yet  caring  little  to  defend  him- 
self from  their  reproofs.  He  grants  all  that  has  been 
said  of  the  Divine  power  and  human  weakness,  for  he 
realizes  them  better  than  his  friends  themselves.  He 
knows  it  all,  but  will  say  nothing,  though  convinced  of 
his  innocence,  since  God  may,  if  He  choose,  go  even 
further  and  crush  him  utterly.  Feeling  thus,  instead 
of  thinking  with  comfort  of  the  power  of  the  Almighty 
and  the  weakness  of  man,  he  rather  finds  in  these  facts 
his  deepest  sorrow.  The  wisdom  of  his  friends  sounds 
like  mockery,  and  he  retorts  it  with  bitter  irony. 

Yet  his  clear  and  quiet  conscience  cannot  allow  him 
to  be  silent,  though  he  knows  the  risk  he  incurs.  He 
must  freely  and  without  reserve  say  what  he  thinks  of 
the  mysterious  and  apparently  contradictory  ways  of 
God.  He  cannot  think  of  Him  as  his  friends  do,  and 
breaks  out  into  biting,  almost  despairing,  bitterness 
against  them.  Then,  having  overthrown  their  theories, 
he  sinks  again  into  sad  silence. 

Not  disconcerted  by  the  discomfiture  of  the  others, 
Zophar  now  proceeds  to  give  his  opinion  and  counsel. 
The  youngest  of  the  three,  he  would  rather  have  re- 
mained silent,  but  the  tone  of  Job,  more  and  more  self- 
confident,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  him,  presumptuous,  forces 


414  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

Mm  to  speak.  He  liopes  to  end  the  controversy  by  an 
unexpected  utterance.  Job,  after  appealing  to  God's 
judgment,  bad  presently  drawn  back  ;  but  now  Zopbar, 
despairing  of  a  human  solution  of  the  vexed  question, 
breaks  out  into  a  wisli  that  God  would  in  reality  appear 
and  bring  to  silence  one  wlio  would  not  confess  tliat  bis 
afflictions  had  come  in  punishment  for  his  sins.  His 
wish  is  in  reality  a  confession  of  weakness  for  himself  and 
his  friends  ;  an  admission  that  God  alone  can  prove  the 
correctness  of  their  firm  belief  that  secret  sin,  if  not 
open,  had  brought  all  this  misery  on  the  sufi'erer.  If 
Job  will  himself  admit  that  it  is  so  all  will  be  well ;  but 
if  he  still  refuse  to  own  it  the  result  will  be  even  worse 
than  now. 

The  speech  at  Zophar,  which  was  intended  to  sur- 
prise and  bow  down  Job  in  lowly  submission,  had, 
strange  to  say,  the  very  opposite  effect,  for  it  is  forth- 
with turned  into  a  victorious  weapon  against  his  op- 
ponents, and  instead  of  humbling  him,  seems,  for  the 
first  time,  to  raise  him  from  his  depression  and  con- 
fusion of  mind.  How  can  he  who  boasts  of  his  innocence 
and  even  of  his  trust  in  God,  let  himself  be  reproached 
as  suffering  far  less  than  his  sins  have  deserved  ?  He 
still  clings  to  the  feeling  that  God  acts  towards  him  as 
a  strong  man  mig-ht  to  a  weak  creature  unable  to  op- 
pose him,  and  seems  to  think  that  his  friends  speak  so 
bitterly  as  they  do  because  they  side,  ungenerously,  with 
the  strong  against  the  weak.  But  he  cannot  believe 
that  God  will  in  any  way  do  what  is  wrong,  either  in 
letting  him  permanently  suffer,  or  in  letting  his  friends 
thus  reproach  him.  They  have  appealed  to  the  Al- 
mighty against  him :  he  will  appeal  to  Him  in  his  own 
favour,  and  will  complain  to  Him  against  them  as  the 
guilty.     They  had   made  the  grand  error  of  thinking 


JOB. 


415 


fcliat  prosperity  or  the  reverse  were  indications  of  the 
Divine  favour  or  anger,  and  thus,  in  effect,  rewards  and 
punishments.  But  he  himself  is  equally  wrong  in  the 
same  way,  for  he  clings  to  the  belief  that  his  life  had 
been  a  blameless,  and  therefore  should,  of  right,  have 
been  a  happy  one. 

This  error  shows  itself  in  the  questionable  bearing 
Job  assumes  in  his  language  before  he  closes.  He  can 
scarcely  keep  from  blaming  the  Almighty,  and  cannot 
ward  off  the  old  feeling  of  despair,  when  he  comes  to 
think  of  the  mystery  of  Providence  that  presses  him 
down  so  heavily.  He  sees  no  escape  but  in  the  grave. 
He  will  wait  all  the  days  of  his  appointed  time  till  his 
change  cometh.  But  even  here  he  is  on  the  confines  of 
brighter  hopes,  for  beyond  death  there  will  presently 
break  on  him  the  lioflit  of  a  better  world. 


Thk  EoYniiN  HiPPOTOTAMrs  (i>nt;e  408;    Joh  xl,  10;  Ps.  Ixviii.  31). 


JOB'S  FKIENDS. 

THE  address  of  Zophar,  though  shorter  than  the 
discourses  of  Eliphaz  and  Bildad,  had  been  little 
fitted  to  calm  and  comfort  Job  in  his  afflictions.  To 
feel  his  innocency  and  yet  be  told  that  he  was  ^'  a  man 
full  of  talk/^  that  his  lies  should  be  exposed,  and  his 
jeers  turned  back  on  him  to  his  shame ;  to  hear,  more- 
over_,  that  there  was  no  question  that  all  he  suffered  was 
just  punishment  for  his  sins,  and  to  have  to  listen  again 
to  the  commonplaces  already  twice  inflicted  on  him ; 
that  if  he  repented  all  would  be  well,  and  that  he 
would  lie  down  once  more  in  peace — was  hard  to  bear, 
and  presently  called  forth  a  still  more  embittered  reply 
than  any  of  the  preceding. 

^'  No  doubt/^  answered  the  sufferer,  ^'  but  ye  are  the 
people,  and  wisdom  shall  die  with  you  !  '^  and  then  he 
passed  on  to  justify  all  he  had  said  of  his  own  integrity. 
He  is  ready  to  slip  with  his  feet,  and  is,  therefore,  natu- 
rally despised  by  him  that  is  at  ease.  He  is  as  one 
mocked  of  his  neighbour,  but  yet  he  dares  call  on  Grod, 
and  He  will  answer  him  ! 

If  they  will  have  it,  his  trials  come  from  the  sove- 
reign power  of  God,  who  shuts  up  a  man,  and  there  can 
be  no  opening  but  by  His  hand.  HE  spoils  counsellors, 
makes  judges  fools,  looses    the  bonds  of  kings,  over- 

416 


job's  feiends. 


417 


throws  the  mighty,  pours  contempt  on  princes,  and 
weakens  the  strength  of  the  great.  "Well,  therefore, 
may  his  afflictions  have  proceeded  from  Him  at  His 
mere  pleasure,  and  not  as  punishment  for  sin. 

Yet  the  hand  that  is  strong  to  smite  is  also  strong  to 
save.  He  will  trust  in  God  though  He  slay  him ;  he 
knows  that  Jehovah,  in  His  own  good  time,  will  become 


ABAB3  OP  THE  Adwan  TaisE.— Captain  Condor,  E.E. 


his  salvation.     As  to  those  who  reprove  him,  they  are 
forgers  of  lies  and  physicians  of  no  value  ! 

Yet  he  cannot  be  silent.  His  troubles  overpower 
him.  Why  should  God  break  a  leaf  driven  to  and  fro, 
or  chase  the  dry  stubble  ?  Why  should  He  make  him 
''as  a  rotten  thing  that  consumeth,  and  as  a  garment 
that  is  moth-eaten'^?  Then,  once  more  he  falls  into 
gloom  that  borders  on  despair.     Man's  lot  is  sad  in- 

E  E 


418  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 

deed  !  Would  tliat  God  would  hide  him  in  the  grave ; 
that  He  would  keep  him  secret  till  His  wrath  were  past. 
But  hope  breaks  in  even  amidst  all  this  sadness.  Is 
there  not  a  hereafter  ?  May  not  God^  even  in  the  dust, 
appoint  him  a  set  time  and  remember  him  ?  He  had 
found  the  true  support  under  his  trials_,  the  true  solution 
of  the  enigma  they  offered.  Yet  he  only  dimly  realizes 
it  as  yet,  and  closes  his  discourse  by  words  of  the 
deepest  sadness. 

The  disconcerted  friends  were,  however,  unwilling  to 
let  Job  triumph,  and  returned  to  the  task  of  condemning 
him.  Eliphaz,  as  their  head,  from  his  position,  experi- 
ence, and  wisdom,  once  more  becomes  their  mouthpiece. 
Eeady  to  blame  the  confident  bearing  of  Job,  and  to  argue 
the  worst  results  from  it,  it  was  necessary  first  to  humble 
one  so  proud  and  unsubmissive,  and  thus  assume  again 
an  air  of  superiority,  to  give  the  reproof  weight. 

He  tells  him,  therefore,  that  his  own  words  condemn 
him ;  that  he  has  shown  an  open  want  of  fear  of  God 
and  has  answered  with  words  of  crafty  wickedness. 
But  he  has  no  cause  to  hold  himself  so  loftily,  either 
over  his  fellow-men,  or  towards  God.  Every  man  is,  at 
best,  a  sinner,  and  why  should  he  dare  to  turn  his 
spirit  against  God,  and  let  such  words  go  out  of  his 
mouth  ?  Yet  the  speech  which  is  thus  introduced,  is 
only  a  lengthened  and  terrible  picture  of  the  admitted 
truth,  that  the  every  one  shows,  by  his  living  only  for 
himself,  that  he  slights  both  God  and  man,  is  troubled 
in  heart,  at  least  at  times,  during  life,  and  that  all  he 
has  is  insecure.  It  is  the  old  doctrine  that  sin  brings  its 
own  punishment  in  this  world,  and  that  Job  only  suffers 
because  he  is  guilty. 

The  afflicted  man  in  his  answer  makes  little  attempt 
at  direct  contradiction  of  what  has  been  said.    He  is  too 


job's  friends.  419 

utterly  bowed  down  by  tbe  additional  sorrow  of  feeling 
that  even  bis  friends  bad  risen  against  bim  in  bis  bour 
of  need.  Everything  seems  to  be  turned  to  bis  biirt  by 
God  :  bis  very  neighbours  have  been  made  into  enemies, 
as  one  of  the  many  terrible  results  of  the  mysterious 
anger  of  Providence.  It  seems  as  if  death  alone  would 
give  bim  respite  from  bis  calamities.  God  has  delivered 
bim  to  the  ungodly,  and  turned  him  over  to  the  bands  of 
the  wicked.  He  has  shaken  bim  to  pieces,  and  set  him 
up  as  a  mark  for  the  arrows  of  His  wrath. 

Yet  be  bates  nothing  of  his  firm  confidence  in  bis  own 
integrity.  If  he  weeps,  it  is  not  for  any  injustice  on  bis 
bands,  and  his  prayer  is  pure.  If  he  is  to  die  with  no 
justification  from  God,  he  trusts  that  the  earth  will  not 
cover  his  blood, — the  blood  of  an  innocent  man, — but  will 
let  it  remain  before  all  eyes,  imperishable,  as  the  witness 
of  his  uprightness,  and  that  his  cry  for  vindication  will 
sound  on,  and  rise  even  to  heaven !  Even  now,  for- 
saken as  he  is  by  men,  the  witness  to  bis  integrity  lives 
above.     Its  record  is  in  heaven  ! 

But  be  cannot,  after  all,  despair  that  God  will  show 
Himself  in  the  end.  He  may  have  made  bim  a  mocking 
to  bis  friends  and  covered  him  with  sorrow,  but,  in  the 
end,  the  righteous  will  hold  on  bis  way,  and  he  that 
bath  clean  hands  will  wax  stronger  and  stronger.  As 
to  this  life,  however,  be  has  no  more  hope.  He  has  said 
to  corruption,  Thou  art  my  father ;  to  the  worm,  Thou 
art  my  mother  and  my  sister. 

In  this  last  speech  the  patriarch  adds  some  bitter  words 
to  his  former  reproaches  of  bis  friends.  He  bad  told 
them  there  was  not  a  wise  man  among  them,  and  bad 
spoken  of  them  as  ungodly  and  wicked.  Bildad  now 
feels  himself  so  aggrieved  at  this,  that  be  can  no  longer 
be   silent,  and   casts   back   on   the  sufi'erer  all  bis  re- 


420  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHARACTERS. 

proaclies^  ascribing  tliem  to  tlie  wild  despair  of  one 
who  felt  his  wickedness^  but  would  not  own  it.  Yet^  let 
him  not  deceive  himself.  The  light  of  the  wicked  would 
be  put  out;  evil  of  all  kinds  would  surely  destroy  him. 
However  the  ungodly  resist^  it  is  useless  in  the  end^  and 
only  leads  to  irremediable  and  permanent  destruction. 
Their  remembrance  would  perish  from  the  earthy  and 
they  would  have  no  name  in  the  street. 

The  stricken  heart  had  endured  all  till  now,  and  had 
even  returned  reproach  for  reproach,  but  he  is  too  utterly 
crushed  to  bear  himself  thus  any  longer.  Bitter  words, 
he  tells  his  friends,  are  out  of  place.  Let  them  only 
think  of  his  sorrows,  and  they  would  no  longer  perse- 
cute him  and  wear  away  his  heart.  '^  Have  pity  on  me, 
have  pity  on  me,^'  he  cries,  ''  0  ye  my  friends ;  for  the 
hand  of  God  has  touched  me  !  " 

Yet,  however  crushed  in  worldly  hopes,  the  light 
from  another  world  which  has  already  broken  the  gloom 
will,  henceforth,  he  declares^  be  his  stay  and  rejoicing ! 

"  I  know,"  says  he,  "  that  my  Redeemer  (or  Avenger)  liveth, 
And,  as  he  who  follows  me,  will  stand  upon  the  earth ; 
And  after  my  skin,  (perishes),  for  it  is  indeed  destroyed, 
I,  freed  from  my  body,  will,  myself,  see  God. 
For  I,  to  my  good,  will  see  Him, 
Mine  eyes  will  see  Him— mine,  and  not  those  of  another ! "  ^ 

Having  thus  sung  its  note  of  triumph,  the  weary  heart 
would  fain  have  peace,  and  closes  with  an  earnest  en- 
treaty that  his  friends  should  cease  further  troubling 
him. 

"  If  you  think,  '  How  shall  we  follow  him  up,' 

And  that  'the  root  of  the  matter' — the  cause  of  my  afflictions 
— '  is  found  in  my  own  sin,' 

^  Translations  of  Ewald  and  Mers. 


job's  feiends.  421 

Beware  of  the  sword ! 

For  your  fierce  dealings  will  call  forth  avenging  wrath  (from 
God), 
That  ye  may  know  there  is  a  judgment."  ^ 

But  theological  zeal  was  as  hard  to  restrain  in  ancient 
as  in  modern  times.  Zophar  thinks  it  his  duty  to  be 
more  severe  than  ever,  and  takes  up  the  discourse  again 
by  a  fervent  repetition  of  the  doctrine  Job  has  so  often 
repudiated.  A  sinner,  says  he,  may  flourish  for  a  time, 
but  so  much  the  more  terrible  and  hopeless  will  be  his 
destruction  in  the  end.  The  triumph  of  the  wicked,  he 
tells  Job,  is  short;  the  joy  of  the  impious  only  for  a 
moment.  Has  not  experience  taught  this  from  of  old, 
since  ever  man  was  set  on  the  earth  ?  The  heavens 
shall  one  day  reveal  guilt,  and  the  earth  rise  up  against 
the  wicked.  All  the  gain  of  his  house  shall  depart, 
carried  away  by  the  flood  of  Grod's  anger,  in  the  day 
of  His  wrath.  This  is  the  portion  of  a  wicked  man 
from  Elohim,  and  the  lot  appointed  him  by  God. 

But  Job  had  an  answer  ready,  which  turns  all  that 
has  been  said  to  his  own  favour.  That  men  should 
have  held  that  the  godless  flourish  in  this  life,  speaks 
for  his  own  innocence,  not  against  him !  It  is  true 
enough  that  the  wicked  are  often  prosperous,  but  it  is 
also  no  less  true  that  the  pious  and  upright  are  often 
the  reverse.  If  his  friends  think  guilt  always  meets 
its  punishment  here,  others  think  the  very  opposite. 
All,  in  fact,  is  confusion  and  darkness  in  this  life,  in 
the  ways  of  God  to  man.  He  has  for  a  time  forgotten 
his  faith  in  the  correction  of  all  inequalities  of  time  in 
the  world  beyond,  and,  excited  by  so  much  disputing, 
can  think  only  of  the  mystery  of  life,  so  dark  and 
impenetrable.  "His  friends  have  acted  wrongly  by 
^  Zockler. 


422  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

him.  Tliey  have  kept  back  half  of  the  truth  to  crush 
him,  by  presenting  only  what  favours  themselves.'' 
Once  more  Job  has  fallen  into  the  snare  of  distrusting 
God,  as  if  He  could  in  any  case  act  unrighteously. 

For  the  second  time  the  sufferer,  when  he  seemed 
like  to  be  silenced  by  the  speeches  of  his  friends,  had 
become,  in  an  unexpected  way,  the  assailant,  forcing 
them  to  own  themselves  worsted,  or  to  change  their 
ground.  They  cannot  deny  the  fact  which  Job  has 
urged,  that  life  is  a  mystery,  and  that  misfortune  is  not 
always  restricted  to  the  wicked ;  but  they  shirk  enter- 
ing further  on  such  doubtful  questions,  though  they 
cannot  restrain  their  astonishment  at  such  a  pertina- 
cious refusal  to  listen  to  their  warnings,  and  such  a 
resolute  self-vindication. 

But  they  have  no  longer  their  early  confidence ;  they 
henceforth  show  that  they  are  fighting  a  lost  battle. 
Their  first  and  keenest  weapons,  which  they  used  with 
a  good  conscience  against  Job,  are  gone.  Their  warn- 
ings not  to  speak  against  God  and  His  righteousness 
have  been  turned  against  themselves,  and  nothing  is 
left  but  to  sink  from  the  dignity  of  lofty  statements  of 
God's  ways  to  the  littleness  of  personal  charges.  They 
had  hitherto  been  ashamed  to  specify  accusations,  but 
are  now  forced  to  reproach  him  with  definite  gross  sins 
which  he  had  committed  before  his  days  of  sorrow. 
They  feel  sure  it  must  have  been  so;  though,  of  course, 
they  cannot  prove  it ! 

But,  now,  as  the  fire  is  dying  out,  it  leaps  up  from 
its  ashes.  Eliphaz  is,  this  time,  the  speaker.  "Would 
God,''  he  asks,  "  chasten  thee  for  fearing  Him,  or  bring 
thee  thus  to  judgment  (if  thou  wert  blameless)  ?  Is  not 
thy  wickedness  great,  and  are  not  thy  sins  infinite  ? " 
He  then  proceeds  to  charge  him  with  every  form  of 


job's  friends.  423 

unwortHness.  ^'He  has  taken  a  pledge  from  his 
brother  man  without  cause ;  he  has  stripped  the  naked 
of  their  clothing ;  he  hns  refused  water  to  the  thirsty, 
and  withheld  food  from  the  hungry;  he  has  sent  the 
widows  empty  away,  and  has  broken  the  arms  of  the 
fatherless.  *^And  now/  he  virtually  says,  'how  doth 
God  know  ?     Can  He  judge  through  the  thick  cloud  ? ' " 

He  then,  once  more,  appeals  to  Job  if  sinners  are  not 
always  in  the  end  destroyed  in  this  life  ?  He  cannot 
tear  himself  from  his  belief  that  it  is  so,  and  trium- 
phantly asks  if  the  godly  are  not  always  able,  sooner 
or  later,  to  say,  ''In  very  deed  our  adversaries  are 
destroyed;  the  fire  has  consumed  their  possessions.'' 
But  if  Job  will  only  confess  his  sins  and  repent;  if  he 
put  away  iniquity  far  from  his  tents,  he  will,  ere  long, 
lay  up  gold  as  dust,  and  the  treasures  of  Ophir,  from 
the  beds  of  the  streams  ! 

Job  had  no  heart  to  retort  and  justify  himself  against 
charges  which  he  felt  so  unfounded,  and  continued  his 
former  thoughts  of  the  mysteriousness  of  God's  ways, 
rather  in  soliloquy  than  spoken  to  those  round  him. 
His  whole  soul  yearns  for  an  open  decision  of  his  cause 
by  God.  "  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  Him  !  " 
he  cries  out,  "  that  I  might  come  even  to  His  seat ! " 
But  he  despairs  of  such  a  deliverance.  God  will  not 
appear  to  solve  the  momentous  question.  It  seems  as 
if  He  had  designedly  withdrawn,  that  He  might  leave 
the  mystery  unexplained.  But  the  very  fact  that  He 
thus  veils  Himself,  and  keeps  silence,  is  itself  myste- 
rious. He  carries  out  His  will  with  no  revelation  of 
the  dark  questions  which  its  apparent  contradictions 
raise. 

"  Behold,"  says  he,  "  I  go  forward  —He  is  not  there ; 
Backwards— I  see  Him  not; 


424        OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

If  He  hide  on  my  left  hand — I  cannot  perceive  Him  i 
If  on  my  right — I  fail  to  behold  Him  ! 


My  foot  kept  His  steps ; 

I  held  His  way,  not  turning  aside  ; 

I  did  not  forsake  the  command  of  His  mouth ; 

I  kept  His  word  as  my  law ! " 

Yet^  how — he  leaves  it  to  be  added — has  he  suffered  ! 
All  is  darkness !  But  that  very  darkness  convicts  his 
friends  of  presumption  in  accusing  him  as  they  have 
done. 

Job  has  thus  involved  his  reprovers  in  a  difficulty 
from  which  they  could  not  escape,  and  as,  besides,  he 
will  not  condescend  to  answer  their  specific  accusations, 
they  have  virtually  no  more  to  add.  But  Bildad  must 
say  something.  He  cannot  follow  up  the  personal 
attack  of  Eliphaz,  for  Job  has  slighted  it,  nor  can  he 
take  the  same  old  line  of  argument,  for  he  must  first 
answer  the  difficulty  Job  has  raised.  He  can  only, 
therefore,  fall  back  on  what  has  been  said  before,  and 
repeat  some  vague  generalities  which  no  one  can  dis- 
pute— that  the  contrast  between  God  and  man  is  infi- 
nite, and  that  as  the  moon  in  its  brightness  seems  dark 
before  Him,  and  the  very  stars  do  not  shine  in  His 
presence,  surely  mortal  man,  the  creeping  thing,  and 
the  son  of  man,  the  worm,  should  be  silent  before  Him  ! 

Job  had  hitherto  waited  till  the  third  friend  had 
spoken,  before  he  turned  on  them,  but  now,  feeling 
how  empty  the  last  speech  has  been,  he  breaks  out  into 
bitter  irony;  and  then,  as  Bildad  has  essayed  to  speak 
of  the  greatness  of  God,  overwhelms  him  and, the  others 
by  uttering  a  far  grander  picture  of  it,  which,  of  itself, 
shows  how  idle  their  discourse  had  been  to  one  who 


job's  feiends.  425 

knows  so  mucli  more,  and  can  speak  so  much  better 
than  themselves. 

The  friends  were  at  last  silenced,  and  now  Job 
addresses  them  as  they  stand  beaten  before  him.  Once 
more  he  repeats  his  consciousness  of  innocence,  but 
with  it  he  joins  his  unshaken  trust  in  God  even  in  his 
deepest  misery.  He  cannot  believe  in  the  abiding 
prosperity  of  the  wicked  any  more  than  they,  but  feels 
that  it  must  end  in  terrible  ruin.  But  the  mystery  of 
God's  ways  can  only  be  solved  by  that  real  wisdom 
which  alone  secures  true  earthly  happiness,  and  explains 
the  difficulties  of  the  Divine  dispensations ;  and  this  can 
be  had  only  from  God,  by  pious  submission  to  Him. 

The  last  part  of  the  book  commences  with  a  discourse 
by  Job,  in  which  he  shows  that,  as  his  sufferings  are 
not  due  to  his  sins,  they  must  have  a  deeper  source. 
He  paints  his  former  prosperity,  and  traces  it  to  his 
uprightness  and  gracious  use  of  the  benefits  he  enjoyed. 
He  had  once  had  universal  respect  and  far-reaching 
influence,  but  now  men  despised  him.  Misery  of  all 
kinds  oppressed  him ;  all  his  hopes  had  been  dis- 
appointed. Yet  he  had  given  himself  up  in  his  happy 
days  to  no  evil  passion;  he  had  ruled  his  house 
worthily ;  he  had  shown  kindness  to  all,  and  upright- 
ness as  a  citizen,  and  had  not  neglected  the  rarer  duties 
to  God  and  man.  He  had  been  no  hypocrite,  and  had 
not  been  guilty  of  secret  violence  or  oppression.  Why, 
then,  he  suffered  as  he  did,  God  alone  could  explain. 

A  new  speaker,  Elihu,  now  appears,  and  while  in 
some  respects  at  one  with  the  others,  shows  a  clearer  in- 
sight. Justifying  the  Divine  righteousness,  he  accounts 
for  a  man  like  Job  not  reaping  the  reward  of  his  good- 
ness in  some  cases,  by  his  shortcomings  and  rash 
speeches  against   God.     Sufferings  are  generous  chas- 


426  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

tisements,  to  make  man  better,,  and  such  especially  liave 
been  tbose  of  Job.  Even  nature  itself  may  teacb  us 
confidence  in  tbe  righteousness  of  God. 

The  book  closes  by  the  entrance  of  Grod  Himself^ 
through  His  heavenly  voice^  on  the  scene.  The  lessons 
of  nature  are  urged  as  sufiicient  ground  for  confidence 
in  the  Divine  righteousness^  and  Job  is  reproved  for 
having  spoken  thoughtlessly.  The  infinite  power  and 
wisdom  of  the  Holy  One  is  proclaimed^  and  Job,  humbled 
and  conscious  of  the  guilt  and  folly  of  his  murmurings, 
casts  himself  on  the  mercy  of  his  Creator.  To  trust 
where  we  do  not  see ;  to  believe  that  all  is  well  ordered, 
and  that,  hereafter,  if  not  here,  the  mysteries  of  life 
will  be  fully  solved,  is,  he  now  feels,  the  spirit  in 
which  to  meet  the  dispensations  of  Providence. 

The  end  of  the  wondrous  drama  is  striking.  The 
three  friends  are  sharply  reproved  for  their  assaults  on 
Job,  while  his  lowly  abasement  before  God  has  brought 
a  vindication  of  his  uprightness,  and  a  final  condem- 
nation of  their  cherished  belief  that  suffering  is  the 
punishment  of  particular  sins.  Job  is  reinstated  in 
more  than  his  former  prosperity,  and  the  lesson  taught 
to  all  ages,  that  it  becomes  man  to  bow  in  all  things 
before  the  sovereign  will  of  God,  with  the  firm  assur- 
ance that  what  we  know  not  now  we  shall  know  here- 
after. 


JEREMIAH. 

JEREMIAH,  the  second  of  the  four  so-called  Great 
Prophets,  is  the  most  striking  figure  in  the  last  age 
of  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  which  he  survived,  to  mourn 
over  the  ruins  of  Jerusalem  with  a  tenderness  and 
pathos  associating  him  for  ever  with  its  calamity.  His 
very  name — Jeremiah — "The  Lord  casts  down" — is  a 
memento  at  once  of  his  times  and  of  his  character. 

He  was  the  son  of  Hilkiah, — "  The  specially  devoted 
to  God," — a  priest,  living  in  the  upland  village  of 
Anathoth, — The  place  of  "  answers  "  to  prayer, — about 
an  hour  north-east  of  Jerusalem,  and  here  he  spent  his 
earlier  life ;  himself,  by  birth,  a  priest. 

It  was  a  time  of  the  swift  decay  and  breaking  up 
of  Judah.  The  two  great  powers  east  and  west  of 
Palestine,  Babylon  and  Egypt,  were  in  mortal  struggle 
which  involved  Judah  in  their  disasters,  and  finally 
blotted  out  what  still  remained  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
Ten  Tribes.  Nor  was  there  unity  and  peace  even  in 
the  narrow  bounds  of  Judah.  A  fierce  party-strife 
raged  between  the  favourers  of  foreign  idolatry  and  those 
who  were  still  faithful  to  the  worship  of  Jehovah. 

Yet,  from  the  midst  of  trouble  and  moral  and  political 
decay,  were  slowly  rising  the  elements  of  a  happier 
future.     A  new  life  was  destined  to   spring  from  the 

427 


428  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

ruin  of  tlie  State^  and  of  this  Jeremiali  was  tlie  chosen 
herald.  While  on  the  one  hand  fearlessly  announcing 
the  Divine  wrath  at  the  sins  of  his  people^  he  stands  in 
sublime  dignity  as  the  prophet  who  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  spiritual  regeneration  of  his  nation  by  word  and 
writings.  From  the  ruins  on  which  he  sat  in  tears,  he 
looked  forward  to  coming  days,  in  which  Jehovah  would 
make  a  new  and  higher  covenant  with  His  people  than 
that  of  Moses — a  covenant  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

Unlike  Isaiah,  Jeremiah  was  a  man  apparently  little 
fitted  to  breast  and  guide  such  evil  times.  Shrinking, 
sensitive,  and  inclined  to  retirement,  he  would,  seem- 
ingly, have  preferred  to  live  quietly  in  Anathoth, 
mourning  over  the  sad  state  of  things.  But  the  Highest 
had  chosen  him  as  His  messenger  to  His  people,  and 
at  this  supreme  command  all  hesitation  was  forgotten. 
The  weakness  of  natural  temperament  was  forthwith 
lost  in  a  grand  devotion  to  duty. 

He  began  his  prophetical  work  early  in  life,  for  we 
find  him  acting  as  a  recognized  prophet  in  the  thirteenth 
year  of  King  Josiah  (b.c.  629).  The  young  king  had 
begun  his  great  Reformation,  which  was  destined  to  be 
so  short-lived,  and  Assyria  was  on  the  eve  of  its  fall 
(b.c.  606).  It  seemed  as  if  the  evil  days  of  the  past' 
were  over,  when  the  ■  great  idolatrous  power  before 
which  Judah  had  trembled  was  tottering  to  its  de- 
struction, and  a  king,  zealous  for  Jehovah,  was  restoring 
His  worship  in  Israel.  But  these  hopes  were  doomed 
to  disappointment.  In  the  place  of  Assyria  there  rose, 
forthwith,  the  terrible  might  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  the 
change  Josiah  had  made  for  the  better  was  like  the 
early  dew,  and  the  morning  cloud  that  passeth  away. 

The  first  scene  of  Jeremiah's  activity  was  his  native 
village^   but   ere   long  he   removed  to  Jerusalem,  and 


JEREMIAH.  *  429 

there,  for  tlie  next  forty  years,  we  find  him  unrest Ingly 
faithful  to  his  work — now  in  the  Temple,  now  at  the  . 
gates  of  the  city,  or  from  a  prison,  or  in  the  king's 
house,  or  by  recording  his  words  in  writing.  Twenty- 
two  years  of  his  public  life  passed  without  any  marked 
incidents  that  have  come  down  to  us,  only  brief  traces 
remaining  of  the  discourses  delivered  in  them.  For 
eighteen  years  he  had  the  delight  of  seeing  the  good 
Josiali  directing  public  afi*airs,  for  it  was  not  till  so  long 
after  he  had  begun  his  career  as  prophet  that  that 
hero-saint  fell  in  the  terrible  defeat  of  Megiddo  (b.c. 
610).  No  greater  national  calamity  could  have  happened. 
Prophets  and  people  were  alike  overwhelmed.  The 
singing-men  and  singing-women,  says  the  Book  of 
Chronicles,  bewailed  Josiah  in  their  songs  of  lament, 
which  they  sang  on  the  recurrence  of  the  fatal  day,  and 
such  laments  became  a  custom  in  Israel.  Jeremiah, 
more  than  most,  must  have  felt  all  that  the  disaster 
implied,  and  he,  like  others,  lamented  for  the  fallen  -^ 
glory  of  Judah ;  it  may  be  in  words  like  those  which,  in  • 
the  Lamentations,  he  used  of  Zedekiah,  the  last  king  on 
the  throne  of  David  : 

"  The  breath  of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  Jehovah 
"Was  taken  in  their  pits — 
Of  whom  we  said, 
*  Under  his  shadow  ^fill  we  live  among  the  heathen.'"* 

Five  years  later  came  the  great  battle  at  Carchemish, 
on  the  Euphrates,  in  which  Egypt  lost  her  short-lived 
superiority,  and  the  name  of  Babylon,  now  under  the  '^ 
great  Nebuchadnezzar,  was  in  the  mouth  of  all  men  as 
a  new  and  awful  power  destined  to  take  the  place  of 
both  Egypt  and  Assyria  in  Western  Asia.    Judah  forth- 

» Lam.  iy.  20, 


430  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

with  passed  under  tlie  yoke  of  tlie  terrible  Chaldean,, 
and  this  carried  with  it  the  future  captivity  of  the 
nation.  Jeremiah  had  long  before  predicted  the  over- 
throw of  the  theocracy  by  a  people  coming  from  the 
north,  but  he  had  not  named  it.  Now,  however,  in 
the  utterance  which  is  contained  in  the  twenty-fifth 
chapter  of  his  prophecies,  he  for  the  first  time  turned 
the  eyes  and  thoughts  of  the  people  to  the  Chaldeans, 
by  name,  as  the  future  scourge  in  the  hand  of  God. 

It  had  fared  ill  with  the  land  in  the  five  years  since 
the  death  of  Josiah.  Jehoahaz,  one  of  his  sons,  a  youth 
of  three-and-twenty,  had  been  set  by  the  people  on  the 
throne  in  his  father's  stead ;  but  the  fact  that  he  was 
the  chosen  of  the  nation  was  itself  enough  to  make 
Pharaoh  at  once  set  him  aside.  The  land  was  already 
a  mere  tributary  province  of  Egypt,  and  a  puppet  king 
was  easily  found  in  another  son  of  Josiah,  who  reigned 
under  the  name  of  Jehoiakim.  Five  years  a  vassal  of 
Egypt,  Judah  found  herself  next  transferred  to  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, and  the  ominous  change  was  at  once  made 
by  Jeremiah  the  burden  of  his  public  warnings  and 
exhortations.  The  burden  did  not  indeed  fall  on  the 
land  at  once,  for  the  Chaldeans  could  not  invade  Judah 
for  four  years  after  his  triumph.  Then,  however,  the 
yoke  was  laid  on  its  neck  once  more. 

The  position  now  taken  by  3"eremiah  was  peculiar, 
and  must  have  been  hard  to  accept  on  the  part  of  his 
countrymen.  From  the  moment  of  Nebuchadnezzar's 
victory  over  Egypt, — although  four  years  passed  before 
he  came  to  claim  submission  from  Judah  and  the  lands 
round  it, — the  prophet  openly  and  continuously  coun- 
selled that  submission  was  the  one  condition  of  even 
partial  safety.  The  burden  of  his  preaching,  day  by 
day,  was,  in  effect,  that  because  the  dwellers  in  Jeru- 


JEREMIAH.  431 

salem  had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  all  he  had  said  as  a 
prophet_,  for  twenty  years^  in  their  midst,  Grod  would 
give  them  into  the  hand  of  the  king  of  Babylon.  Nor 
would  they,  only,  fall  under  his  sway.  Egypt  also ;  Uz  ; 
the  land  of  the  Philistines  and  of  the  Phenicians; 
Edom,  Moab,  Ammon ;  the  Arab  tribes;  the  Elamites 
and  the  Modes,  must  bow  before  him.  Opposition  to 
this  awful  agent  of  God^s  judgments  would  be  of  no 
avail.  The  only  escape  from  utter  destruction  was 
willing  and  prompt  subjection.  Those  who  thus  yielded 
to  him  would  at  least  remain  in  their  country.  All  the 
nations  the  seer  had  named  would  serve  Babylon  seventy 
years,  but  after  that  its  king  himself  would  be  judged, 
and  Israel  would  be  freed  from  his  yoke. 

Dating  from  the  year  of  Carchemish  to  that  of  the 
Eeturn  from  Captivity,  the  interval  is  seventy  years 
almost  exactly.^  Indeed,  if  we  include  the  one  or  the 
other,  the  f  aliilment  of  the  prediction  is  literal ! 

But  not  only  did  Jeremiah  insist  on  this  in  words; 
from  the  time  of  the  fatal  battle  he  even  committed  it 
carefully  to  Avriting',  that  his  people  should  hereafter 
have  evidence  of  the  truth  of  his  warnings  and  promises. 
Collecting  his  various  utterances  into  a  series,  he  caused 
them  to  be  engrossed  and  preserved ;  if,  perchance,  so 
solemn  an  act  might  at  last  touch  the  hard  hearts  of  his 
race.  But  their  obduracy  and  perverted  natures  with- 
stood even  this  final  appeal. 

Four  years,  only,  passed  before  the  warning  pre- 
dictions of  the  seer  began  to  be  fulfilled.  The  dreadful 
Nebuchadnezzar  appeared,  and  Jehoiakim  at  once 
became  his  vassal.  Left  on  the  throne,  the  unhappy 
shadow-king  died  seven  years  later,  amidst  troubles  on 
every  hand,  for  Judah  was  harried  on  all  sides  by 
»  B.C.  605-535=70. 


432  OLD  TESTAMENT   CHARACTEES. 

Clialdeans_,  Syrians^  and  tlie  smaller  nations  round,  and 
lie  was  lielpless  to  resist  them.  His  son,  Jehoiacliin, 
refused  to  submit  to  Babylon,  but  bad  reigned  only 
three  months  when  Nebuchadnezzar  appeared  with  his 
army,  and  after  besieging  Jerusalem,  began  the  final 
destruction  of  the  kingdom,  by  carrying  ofi*  to  Babylon 
all  the  treasures  of  the  Temple  and  the  palace,  and  ten 
thousand  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  including  all 
the  princes  and  leading  military  men,  all  the  smiths 
and  other  craftsmen  who  might  be  used  against  him, 
and  Jehoiachin  himself,  his  mother,  his  harem,  his 
eunuchs,  and  his  courtiers. 

Jeremiah's  words  were  being  sadly  fulfilled ! 

He  had  been  exposed  to  great  personal  danger  ever 
since  he  had  first  advised  submission  to  Babylon,  from 
the  popular  indignation  at  his  unwelcome  counsels. 
Under  Jehoiakim,  indeed,  he  had  had  to  brave  the 
hostility  of  both  king  and  court,  as  well  as  of  the  people, 
but  though  the  fierce  rage  of  the  king  once  led  him  to 
cut  in  pieces  a  copy  of  the  hated  predictions  for  which 
he  had  asked,  nothing  was  done  against  the  prophet 
himself.  Days  of  more  bitter  trial,  however,  were  now 
approaching. 

Nebuchadnezzar  had  carried  out,  in  the  case  of 
Judah,  the  Oriental  plan  of  weakening  states  so  as 
to  render  them  powerless  to  rebel,  and  now  took  the 
further  step,  after  displacing  Jehoiachin,  the  grandson 
of  Josiah,  of  setting  up  as  titular  king  his  uncle  Zede- 
kiah,  Josiah's  son.  The  fallen  monarch,  meantime,  was 
led  in  chains  to  Babylon,  and  only  regained  his  freedom 
in  the  reign  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  successor;  ending 
his  days  in  the  pleasant  contrast  of  royal  favour  at  the 
Pe-bylonian  court. 

The  position  of  Jeremiah  under  Zedekiah  grew  more 


JEEEMIAH.  433 

and  more  trying,  as  the  irreligion  and  hardened  per- 
versity of  the  people  and  their  leaders  became  worse 
and  worse.  He  still  promised  them  favour  from  God 
if  they  repented,  and  some  small  beginnings  of  reform 
showed  themselves,  but  they  were  only  superficial  and 
passing.  Zedekiah  ere  long  broke  the  oath  of  fidelity 
he  had  taken  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  brought  another 
invasion  of  the  Babylonian  army  on  himself  in  the  ninth 
year  of  his  reign.  The  vain  hope  of  aid  from  Egypt 
had  tempted  him  to  this  course,  but  that  aid  did  not 
arrive  till  Jerusalem  was  being  besieged.  The  march 
of  the  besiegers  to  meet  this  Egyptian  diversion  raised 
deceptive  hopes  in  the  citizens,  but  Jeremiah  fearlessly 
exposed  their  worthlessness. 

From  this  time  persecution  was  the  lot  of  the  pro- 
phet, putting  him  in  continual  danger  of  death,  and 
heaping  upon  him  every  form  of  suffering.  A  pretext 
was  found  for  throwing  him  into  prison,  which  he  did 
not  leave  till  the  town  was  taken ;  and  what  an  Eastern 
prison  is  even  to-day  may  help  us  to  judge  what  it  must 
have  been  2,500  years  ago. 

The  weak  king  saw  himself,  indeed,  forced  to  consult 
the  despised  and  hated  prophet  again  and  again,  but 
he  had  not  enough  decision  of  character  to  brave  his 
courtiers,  who  were  embittered  to  the  uttermost  against 
one  who  had  so  sternly  attacked  the  corruptions  of  their 
order. 

Yet  nothing  could  bend  the  martyr  from  his  integ- 
rity. As  in  the  days  of  his  freedom,  he  still  pro- 
claimed that  the  city  must  yield  to  Babylon,  and  that 
only  he  would  save  his  life  who  freely  submitted.  His 
enemies  were  furious  at  such  obstinacy,  and  though 
they  feared  to  kill  him,  added  to  his  sufferings  by 
causing  him  to  be  cast  into  an  empty  water  cistern,  the 

F   F 


434  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

bottom  of  wMcli  was  deep  witli  mud.  In  this  extremity, 
however,  a  friend  appeared,  in  the  person  of  one  of  the 
royal  eunuchs,  at  whose  intercession  he  was  removed 
from  this  terrible  dungeon.  He  had  shown  his  heroic 
and  saintly  spirit  more  brightly  at  this  darkest  moment 
of  his  life  than  ever  before,  for  it  was  now  that  he 
dictated  his  most  glowing  predictions  of  the  future 
grandeur  of  the  restored  theocracy,  when  the  ^^  Branch 
of  Righteousness — the  Messiah,  to  come — would  reign 
in  judgment  and  righteousness."  Even  at  this  moment, 
also,  when  all  seemed  lost  to  him  in  life,  he  showed  his 
absolute  confidence  of  a  prosperous  future  to  his  native 
land  by  buying  a  field  in  Anathoth  at  the  price  at 
which  it  would  have  been  sold  in  favourable  times,  and 
causing  the  title-deed  to  be  laid  up,  as  a  witness  in  after 
days  that  he  had  never  despaired  of  his  country. 

After  a  two  years'  siege  Jerusalem  once  more  fell, 
and  with  its  capture  came  JeremiaVs  release.  The 
final  ruin  of  the  city  followed.  The  Temple  was  burned 
down;  the  walls  of  the  city  levelled;  all  the  chief 
buildings  destroyed;  and  the  whole  place  sacked,  to 
the  last  procurable  plunder  worth  bearing  off.  The 
sons  of  Zedekiah  were  killed  before  their  father's  eyes, 
and  he  himself  was  then  blinded  and  led  ofi"  to  Babylon 
in  chains.  Only  the  poorer  classes,  who  could  give  no 
trouble,  were  left  in  the  land ;  all  others  were  carried 
into  captivity. 

Among  those  allowed  to  remain  was  Jeremiah,  who 
betook  himself  to  the  court  of  Gedaliah,  the  Pasha 
appointed  over  the  country  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  Before 
long,  however,  this  dignitary  was  murdered,  and  the 
people,  terrified  at  the  expected  vengeance  of  the 
Babylonish  court,  determined  in  large  numbers  to 
emigrate  to  Egypt.     With  these  exiles  Jeremiah  was 


JEEEMIAH. 


435 


forced  to  cast  in  his  lot,  tliougli  he  had  opposed  the 
abandonment  of  Judaea  with  all  his  earnestness.  But 
they  took  him  with  them  by  force.  The  fulfilment  of 
his  predictions  had  at  last  surrounded  him  with  a  halo 


Jewish  Camives,  from  the  Asstbiak  Sculptuebs  at  Khoesabad 

of  reverence,  and  it  was  felt  as  if  the  community  had 
a  pledge  of  the  presence  of  God  Himself  in  that  of 
His  recognized  servant. 

The  emigrants  settled  at  Tahpanhes,  in  Lower  Egypt, 


436  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTERS. 

and  tliere  JeremiaTi  continued  his  mission.  Not  only 
his  Jewish  fellow  exiles^  who  still  continued  ungodly 
and  impenitent_,  but  even  Egypt  itself,  listened  to 
solemn  warnings  of  approaching  doom  from  the  lips 
of  the  fearless  messenger  of  Jehovah.^ 

From  this  date  we  have  only  legends  to  cast  an 
uncertain  light  on  his  remaining  days.  He  is  said  to 
have  been  stoned  to  death  at  last  by  his  fellow-country- 
men, in  their  fury  at  his  constant  rebukes  of  their  sin, 
and  anticipations  of  calamity  as  its  punishment. 

By  a  natural  reaction  the  prophet  was  speedily  as 
much  honoured  when  dead  as  he  had  been  despised 
and  evil  treated  when  alive.  His  prophecies,  which 
held  out  the  return  from  captivity,  became  the  special 
study  of  the  better  disposed  of  his  people  in  their  exile. 
By  a  steady  revulsion  from  past  misappreciation  he 
gradually  rose  in  the  popular  imagination  to  an  almost 
superhuman  greatness.  His  appearance  was  said  to 
have  been  more  than  mortal,  and  a  multitude  of  won- 
derful legends  were  invented  to  do  him  honour.  In 
the  end,  indeed,  he  came  to  be  thought  by  his  nation 
so  incomparably  the  greatest  of  the  prophets  that  they 
spoke  of  him  as  the  jprophet,  and  believed  that  he  would 
reappear  before  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  as  the  pre- 
cursor mentioned  by  Moses.  Even  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment we  find  traces  of  this  in  the  speculations  of  the 
people  respecting  Jesus.  Not  a  few  of  them  fancied 
He  was  no  other  than  Jeremiah,  returned  to  earth  from 
heaven,  to  inaugurate  the  new  Kingdom  of  God. 

*  Jer.  xHii.  8-13  ;  xliv. 


EZEKIEL. 

JUDAH  liad  sunk  rapidly^  in  its  last  years,  towards 
its  final  ruin.  The  thunder-like  denunciations  of 
its  prophets  had  sounded  vainly  in  the  closed  ears  of  its 
corrupt  and  idolatrous  population,  and  of  its  weak  and 
unworthy  kings.  The  blow  that  had  at  last  fallen,  and 
the  long  trains  of  captives  wending  towards  the  Euphra- 
tes proclaimed  that,  for  a  season,  Babylon,  rather  than 
the  land  that  God  had  given  them,  was  to  be  the  home 
of  the  nation.  Ezekiel  was  the  prophet  to  whom  the 
mission  was  given  to  accompany  them  in  their  exile, 
and  to  win  back  their  hearts,  in  the  day  of  their  trial, 
to  the  God  of  their  fathers. 

The  name  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel — "  Him  whom  God 
strengthens  " — was  itself  a  light  to  his  people  in  these 
dark  and  painful  times.  The  son  of  a  priest — like  his 
contemporaries,  Jeremiah  and  Zechariah — he  had  a 
double  reverence  in  the  eyes  of  his  countrymen  as, 
himself,  by  birth,  one  of  the  sacred  order. 

The  first  bands  of  captives,  including  King  Jehoiachin 
and  the  chief  men  of  Judah,  found  Ezekiel  in  their 
number.  Nebuchadnezzar  had  ordered  them  to  be  led 
away  to  Babylon,  and  there  the  prophet  found  a  home 
on  the  banks  of  the  ^^  river  Chebar,"  which  was  one  of 

4:^7 


438 


OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 


the  countless  broad  canals  of  irrigation  tliat  led  from 
the  Euphrates,  in  the  province  of  Babylon. 


02  H 


M  W 


M  2 


P   H 


^a 


EZEKIEL.  439 

It  must  liave  been  a  ricli,  sunny  land,  for  tlie  very 
name  of  tlie  spot  wliere  Ezekiel  had  his  home  was  the 
familiar  one  of  "  The  hill  of  corn/^ — that  is,  Cornhill, 
— not,  indeed,  a  hill  in  any  special  sense,  but  rather  a 
rise  in  the  wide  fertile  plain  that  stretched  like  a  calm 
sea  on  every  side. 

Babylon  was,  in  all  physical  respects,  a  far  better 
home  than  Judsea.  The  soil,  everywhere  well  watered 
by  numberless  canals  and  rivulets  from  the  Euphrates, 
was  amazingly  fertile.  Wheat  and  barley  grew  rank  in 
height  and  some  fingers  broad  in  the  blade,  and  dates 
abounded.  Trees,  in  general,  and  stone  for  building, 
were  scarce,  as  in  Assyria,  so  that  the  houses  may  have 
stood  exposed  to  the  sun  in  great  measure,  as  in  Egypt 
now.  Built  only  of  large  sun-dried  bricks,  they  have 
long  since  mouldered  into  the  dust  from  which  they 
were  made.  Yet  we  must  not  conclude  too  hastily  from 
the  charactersitics  of  waterless  portions,  that  those 
on  the  canals  or  ^'  rivers,^'  were  unshaded  by  luxuriant 
growths  of  vines  and  fruit  trees,  for  where  wheat  grew 
so  richly,  other  things  also  would  own  the  power  of 
irrigation. 

In  such  an  earthly  paradise  Ezekiel  had  his  new 
home,  and  here  he  married  and  gathered  round  him  the 
cares  and  comforts  of  a  household.  It  was  in  the  fifth 
year  after  he  had  been  led  away  that  he  received  the 
summons  to  his  high  prophetic  office.  If  we  may  trust 
Josephus,  he  was  still  young,^  and  must  thus  have  in- 
terested himself  early  in  the  things  of  religion.  Is  it 
too  much  to  think  that  he  had  learned  to  fear  God  in 
his  father*s  house  ?  for  the  very  name,  Buzi,  which  his 
father  bore, — "The  despised  one,'^ — may  well  hint  of 

»  Ant.  X.  6,  3. 


440  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTEES. 

fidelity  to  tlie  God  of  Abraham,  which  only  brought 
derision  on  him  in  those  evil  days. 

How  long"  EzekieVs  ministrations  continued  is  not  told 
us,  but  they  extended  at  least  over  twenty-three  years, 
the  last  date  in  his  book  being  the  twenty-seventh  of 
his  exile — the  sixteenth  after  Jerusalem  itself  perished. 

Unlike  Jeremiah,  he  gives  us  very  few  personal 
details.  In  keeping  with  his  birth  and  priestly  office, 
— now,  since  the  Temple  had  fallen,  only  a  painful 
remembrance  of  the  past, — ^he  seems  to  have  been  a 
careful  and  earnest  student.  His  writings,  indeed,  show 
that  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  sacred  books 
of  his  people  more  than  any  other  prophet  either  after 
the  exile  or  before  it.  Allusions  to  Genesis,  Exodus, 
and  Numbers,  and  a  series  of  references  to  details  of 
the  Law,  as  stated  in  the  Pentateuch  generally,  are 
found  in  various  parts  of  his  writings.  Nor  was  the 
earliest  Hebrew  literature  his  only  study.  Hosea  and 
Isaiah  lend  him  conceptions,  and  he  was  evidently 
familiar  with  the  written  predictions  of  his  contem- 
porary Jeremiah. 

His  position  is  unique  in  the  history  of  the  prophets. 
Jeremiah  had  witnessed  for  God  in  times  of  national 
decline  and  corruption,  but  the  nation  was  still  in  its 
own  land.  But  Ezekiel  was  far  from  Palestine,  in 
which  alone  the  prophets  had  hitherto  appeared.  That 
he  should  have  been  so  was  the  hope  of  his  people,  for 
he  thus  became  a  centre  round  which  those  could  gather 
who  were  at  last,  under  the  pressure  of  trouble,  inclined 
to  return  to  Jehovah.  His  words  became  the  seed  of  a 
religious  revival,  which,  two  generations  later,  resulted 
in  the  return,  and,  through  that,  to  the  whole  future 
development  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  God. 

The  summons  to  his  office  was  in  keeping  with  the 


EZEKIEL.  441 

circumstances  o£  Ms  race.  Isaiah  had  once  seen  Jeho- 
vah^ in  vision,  in  tlio  temple  of  tlie  heavens,  but  the 
vision  was  granted  in  Judah,  and  its  characteristics 
pointed  to  a  temple  at  Jerusalem  as  the  centre,  where 
alone  earthly  manifestations  of  God  were  to  be  ex- 
pected. The  exiles  might  have  thought  with  Jacob, 
that,  with  the  sacred  soil  where  they  had  been  wont  to 
have  access  to  the  Creator,  they  had  left  His  presence 
behind.  But  when  the  Divine  Majesty  appeared  to 
Ezekiel  on  the  banks  of  the  Chebar,  in  the  land  of  the 
heathen,  it  showed  that  if  God  had  left  His  local  sanc- 
tuary at  Jerusalem  He  was  still  with  His  people,  and 
that,  even  without  a  temple.  He  was  as  accessible  as 
when  He  sat  between  the  Cherubim.  Hitherto,  priestly 
services  had  been  required,  and  a  local  Presence  alone 
vouchsafed,  but  now  a  direct  revelation  was  granted, 
with  no  intervention  of  rites  or  sacrifice,  and  no  conse- 
cration of  a  sacred  spot.  The  world  was  proclaimed 
one  great  temple,  and  God  Himself  announced  that, 
henceforth,  He  would  be  a  sanctuary  to  His  people. 

It  is  not  a  little  noteworthy  that  it  was  precisely  from 
the  date  of  the  ovsrthrow  of  priestly  rites  and  temple 
service,  and  the  substitution  of  spiritual  worship  and 
continuous  religious  instruction,  that  religion  revived. 
Ezekiel  was  the  true  forerunner  of  Ezra,  whom  we  have 
to  honour  as  the  distinctive  founder  of  preaching,  at 
fixed  timeS;  week  after  week,  in  connection  with  the 
synagogue;  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  that  the 
synagogue  has  been  the  strength  and  very  life  of 
Judaism  from  his  day  till  now.  Even  under  the 
Ancient  Economy  it  was  not  by  ceremonies  and  rites 
that  religion  was  maintained  and  spread ;  under  these 
they  withered  and  died.  The  spiritual  life  of  Israel 
dates  from  the  introduction  of  direct  religious  instruc- 


442  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

tion  by  Ezekiel,  wlien  tlie  Temple  liad  perislied,  wlieii 
Israel  was  far  even  from  its  ruins,  and  tlie  priest's  occu- 
pation utterly  gone. 

We  have  glimpses  of  tlie  prophet's  activity  in  his 
writings.  The  '^  elders  of  the  people ''  come  from  time 
to  time  to  his  house,  to  receive  instruction  from  him,^ 
for  even  in  captivity  the  nation  retained  its  ancestral 
organization  and  order.  But  not  only  the  leaders  thus 
*^  sat  before  him  :  "  the  people  as  a  body  waited  on  his 
instructions.^  True,  he  had  to  bewail  the  hardness  of 
the  majority  :  to  sigh  over  their  praise  of  his  words  and 
their  failure  to  act  on  them,  but  still  they  came.  It 
had  not  been  so  in  Judasa.  Isaiah  had  not  waited  till 
the  king  summoned  him,  but  had  gone  out  to  the 
Fuller's  Field  to  meet  him.  He  had  sought  the  Trea- 
surer Shebna,  and  announced  to  his  own  face  his 
approaching  fall.^  Jeremiah  had  stood  at  the  gates  of 
the  city,  or  in  the  streets,  denouncing  the  sins  of  his 
people  and  predicting  their  speedy  punishment;  he 
had  even  gone  up  to  the  courts  of  the  Temple  to  do  so. 
But  Ezekiel  remained  in  his  own  house,  and  let  all  who 
sought  comfort  or  good  come  to  him.  He  was,  perhaps 
unconsciously,  acting  as  a  transition  from  the  age  of 
mere  earnest  speech,  to  that  of  calm  and  stated  instruc- 
tion, in  assemblies  for  the  purpose. 

His  course  did  not,  however,  run  smoothly.  In  the 
first  years  of  the  exile,  before  Jerusalem  perished,  his 
countrymen  still  clung  to  the  hope  that  it  would  yet 
be  delivered.  To  add  to  his  difficulties,  false  prophets 
flattered  the  people  by  ^'^  seeing  visions  of  peace  for 
her,"  when  Grod  had  said  there  was  none.*  Even 
women,^  for  the  poor  reward  of  trifling  payments,  took 

1  Ezek.  viii.  1 ;  xiv.  1 ;  xx.  1.  ^  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31. 

»  Isa.  vii.  3 ;  xxii.  16.        *  Ezek.  xiu.  16.         *  Ezek.  xiii.  18. 


EZEEIEL.  443 

up  the  trade  of  foretelling  whatever  might  flatter  the 
general  taste,  and  it  seemed  for  a  time  as  if  Ezekiel 
was  to  be  foiled  by  the  rivalry,  though  he  denounced  it 
with  all  earnestness,  and  renewed  continually  his  pre- 
dictions against  Jerusalem,  the  Temple,  and  the  rem- 
nant of  the  people  left  in  Judaea. 

Five  or  six  years  passed,  from  his  first  call  as  a  Pro- 
phet, in  this  wearying  and  disappointing  controversy 
with  impostors,  and  in  a  struggle  against  the  hardness 
of  heart  of  his  countrymen.  The  fall  of  Jerusalem, 
however,  the  burning  of  the  Temple,  and  the  final 
carrying  off  of  Judah,  at  last  vindicated  Ezekiel;  at 
once  dissipating  all  illusions  and  confirming  his  reputa- 
tion. It  is  a  striking  fact,  as  perhaps  illustrative  of  the 
future  success  of  his  mission,  that  Israel,  which  from 
the  first  had  always  inclined  to  heathenism,  now 
at  last,  for  ever  repudiated  all  idolatrous  rites  and 
customs,  and  became  sternly  fixed  in  their  abhorrence 
of  everything  connected  with  them.  The  fires  that  had 
consumed  the  sanctuary  at  Jerusalem,  in  conjunction 
with  the  labours  of  Ezekiel  and  others  like  him,  purified 
the  nation  from  its  religious  apostasy.  Henceforth 
there  might  be  carelessness  in  the  service  of  Jehovah, 
but  there  was  no  rivalry  between  Him  and  false  gods. 

But  though  the  seer  had  the  joy  of  seeing  idolatry  for 
ever  cast  away,  there  was  much  to  regret  in  the  super- 
ficial reform  which  effected  this.  An  intolerable  pride 
arose,  which  trusted  in  its  orthodoxy,  and  a  self- 
righteousness  which  found  in  mere  external  observances 
its  whole  idea  of  religion.  The  Prophet  had  to  speak 
of  his  contemporaries  as  those  who  had  eyes,  but  were 
blind ;  and  had  ears,  but  were  deaf ;  ^  and  to  denounce 
their  hearts  as  of  stone,^  for  which  a  heart  of  flesh 
»  Ezek.  xii.  2.  2  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26. 


444  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHARACTEES. 

must  be  substituted.  Tbe  legal  purifications  of  the  law 
were  not  enougb  :  there  must  be  pure  life.  A  bigli 
morality  whicli  had  in  it  the  germ  of  national  regener- 
ation was  demanded. 

The  peculiarity  of  EzekiePs  leaving  the  people  to 
come  to  his  teaching  was  apparently  the  result  of  his 
special  mental  constitution.  Other  prophets  identified 
themselves  in  the  closest  and  more  lively  way  with 
public  lifcj  and  were  direct  in  most  of  their  utterances  ; 
but  in  his  case,  there  was  a  fondness  for  a  special  and 
individual  mode  of  thought  and  expression.  Inclined  to 
look  for  outward  help  from  the  writings  of  his  sacred 
predecessors,  his  very  doing  so  showed  a  want  of  that 
originality  of  mind  that  marks  Isaiah.  His  visions 
are  themselves  largely  borrowed,  at  least  in  conception, 
from  already  existing  hints  or  facts.  His  inaugural 
vision,  or  that  of  the  Cherubim,  and  that  of  the  future 
temple,  are  evidently  borrowed,  at  least  in  part,  from 
the  types  supplied  by  Isaiah  in  his  vision  of  Jehovah, 
the  description  of  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness,  and 
the  colossal  winged  figures  with  which  Babylon  made 
him  familiar. 

The  collected  prophecies  of  Ezekiel  form  a  whole  of 
forty- eight  chapters,  of  which  the  first  twenty-four  con- 
tain oracles  of  an  earlier  date  than  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  The  second  half,  exclusive  of  prophecies 
respecting  foreign  peoples,  speak  only  respecting  Israel 
after  Jerusalem  had  perished. 

The  narrative  of  the  prophet's  call  and  consecration 
is  given  in  the  first  three  chapters.  ^'  The  hand  of  the 
Lord,"  he  tells  us,  ^'  was  upon  him,''  by  the  river  Chebar, 
and  he  saw,  in  a  fiery  cloud  which  rolled  towards  him 
from  the  north,  the  form  of  four  wondrous  creatures, 
with,  each,  four  wings,  and  the  faces  of   a  man,  an 


EZEKIEL.  445 

eagle,  an  ox,  and  a  lion ;  ideals  wliicli  ally  themselves 
naturally  witli  the  Cherubim  of  the  Holy  of  Holies. 
Forthwith,  they  moved  forward  on  four  wheels,  while 
above  them  there  appeared  a  wide  firmament;  and 
above  the  firmament,  a  sapphire  throne,  over  which  was 
seen  the  glory  of  the  Almighty,  who  bore  a  human 
form,  and  was  surrounded  by  awful  splendours  of  light 
and  flame. 

Overpowered  by  such  a  sight,  the  prophet  hears  the 
voice  of  God,  and,  recalled  to  consciousness,  receives 
from  Him  the  commission  to  preach  to  the  rebellious 
people  of  his  race.  This  awful  vision  was  afterwards 
repeated  at  another  place,  and  constituted  EzekieFs 
solemn  designation  to  his  oflSice. 

A  prophecy  of  the  approaching  judgments  on  Judah 
follows.  Jerusalem  is  to  be  besieged  and  fall,  and  the 
wrath  is  to  strike  not  only  the  great  but  even  the  hum- 
ble of  the  land.  The  first  section  concludes,  after  a 
terrible  picture  of  the  utter  corruption  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  Holy  City,  with  the  relation  of  another  vision 
of  God,  confirming  all  the  earlier  threatenings  against 
them. 

A  second  series  of  prophetical  discourses  is  now  given. 
They  date  in  the  fifth  year  before  the  fall  of  Jerusalem, 
when  the  news  of  the  intended  revolt  of  Zedekiah  may 
have  already  reached  the  Chebar,  and  filled  the  exiles 
with  the  hope  of  a  speedy  return  to  their  beloved  native 
land.  Ezekiel  cannot  confirm  these  expectations.  The 
fate  of  the  capital  is  inevitable.  Zedekiah  is  only 
hastening  and  embittering  the  inevitable  result,  and 
will  himself  go  into  captivity.  Neither  should  they  be 
misled  by  the  words  of  false  prophets,  nor  by  the 
idea  that,  for  the  sake  of  the  good  men  in  their  num- 
ber, they  will  escape  the  evil.      Jerusalem  is  rejected, 


446  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

like  a  useless  piece  of  the  crooked  knotty  wood  of  the 
vine,  and  the  people  cast  aside  as  a  woman  who  has 
fallen  into  shameless  sin.  The  Chaldeans — God's  sword 
— will  march  against  Judah  and  Ammon  to  carry  out 
the  Divine  vengeance. 

In  his  last  chapters,  the  prophet  turns  to  the  con- 
sideration of  the  possibility  and  mode  of  the  restoration 
of  the  theocracy,  which,  ere  this,  had  perished  with  the 
destruction  of  the  Temple.  A  true  shepherd  must  warn 
his  flock  of  danger,  and  lead  them  to  safety,  else  he 
himself  will  be  judged  of  God.  Former  shepherds  of 
Israel  had  led  it  astray,  but  God  would  demand  a  reck- 
oning from  them.  He,  Himself,  would  henceforth  be 
Israelis  shepherd,  and  under  Him  His  servant  David — 
the  name  for  the  Messiah,  now  clearly  foretold — would 
reign  in  Jerusalem.  The  Holy  Land  is  to  be  inhabited 
anew  :  prosperity  to  be  universal,  but  only  through 
purification  and  renewing  of  the  whole  moral  being  of 
the  nation,  and  through  a  lasting  abandonment  of  the 
ways  in  which  Israel  had  hitherto  walked.  This  grand 
future  seems  to  Ezekiel  like  the  waking  of  the  dead. 
The  tribes  of  Israel  will  once  more  unite  in  Zion  under 
the  king  appointed  by  God.  The  heathen  world  will 
rise  against  them,  but  will  be  destroyed,  and  Israel 
will  then  dwell  securely  in  its  own  land. 

Nothing  now  stands  in  the  way  of  the  erection  of  the 
new  theocracy,  and  with  the  minute  description  of  its 
services  and  constitution  the  Book  closes.  The  new 
Temple  is  described  in  its  least  detail,  with  the  or- 
dinances of  its  worship. 

In  all  this  there  can  only  be  seen  the  symbolic  antici- 
pation of  the  Messianic  times  delivered  in  a  way  suited 
to  those  to  whom  Ezekiel  addressed  himself.  We  now 
know  that  such  visions  are  only  to  be  understood  in  a 


EZEKIEL. 


447 


spiritual  sense,  but,  in  that,  we  are  certain  they  will 
one  day  be  fulfilled. 

In  Chapter  xxxiv.  the  death  of  the  prophet's  wife 
is  narrated,  but  nowhere  is  there  any  mention  of  his 
own  decease,  either  in  the  prophecies  or  in  the  Bible 
at  large.  We  only  know  that  the  death  of  His  saints 
is  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  that  the  fgiith- 
ful  servant  did  not  pass  to  his  reward  till  he  had 
finished  the  work  given  him  to  do. 


Amoieitx  Egtwuk  Wxhqxd  Poem.— TftlWnMH, 


DANIEL. 

THE  name  Daniel,  whicli  means,  ^'The  judge  who 
speaks  for  God/'  is  borne  by  three  personages  in 
the  Old  Testament  records  :  by  a  son  of  David/  a  Levite 
of  the  house  of  Ithamar,  and  by  the  great  prophet  whose 
book  forms  part  of  the  sacred  canon. 

Daniel  seems  to  have  been  of  royal,  or,  at  least,  noble 
birth,  for  he  is  first  mentioned  among  the  ''  children  of 
the  king's  seed,  and  of  the  princes "  of  Israel.^  He 
was,  apparently,  born  in  Jerusalem,  and  must  have 
been  carried  off  to  Babylon  while  still  very  young,  in 
the  first  bands  of  captives  under  Jehoiachin. 

A  striking  illustration  of  the  fact  that  there  are 
always  some,  even  in  the  darkest  days,  who  are  better 
tliaiTtheir  times,  is  seen  in  the  character  not  only  of 
Daniel,  from  his  earliest  years,  but  in  that  of  three  of 
his  companions  carried  oflf  with  him.  The  youth  in 
Jerusalem  in  these  evil  years  grew  up  amidst  the  sight 
of  the  abominations  of  idolatry  practised  within  the 
very  precincts  of  the  Temple,  incense  offered  to  "  abom- 
inable beasts  ; ''  women  weeping  for  Thammuz, — that 
is,  celebrating  a  heathen  festival  for  the  supposed  object 
of  the  love  of  Venus,  who  was  fabled  to  have  been 
killed  by  a  boar — a  feast  accompanied  with  all  the 
»  1  Chron.  iii.  1.  2  Dan.  i.  3. 

448 


DANIEL.  449 

excesses  of  sensual  impurity ; — men,  in  tlie  inner  court 
of  the  Temple,  "  with,  their  backs  towards  the  temple 
of  the  Lord,"  worshipping  ''  the  sun  towards  the  east/'^ 
Nor  was  the  gross  idolatry  of  the  king,  Jehoiakim,  his 
only  sin.  He  put  his  nobles  in  chains,^  threw  Jeremiah 
into  a  dungeon,  and  cut  up  and  burned  the  written  pre- 
diction of  that  prophet  at  the  moment  when  a  national 
fast  was  being  celebrated.  But  his  gross  idolatry, 
reckless  impiety,  and  cruel  tyranny  were  equalled  by 
his  selfishness,  for  when  the  land  had  been  impoverished 
by  the  heavy  tribute  paid  successively  to  Egypt  and 
Babylon,  he  squandered  large  sums  in  building  luxu- 
rious palaces  for  himself. 

QTet  in  the  midst  of_.su£.lL_corruptio.n  and  wickedness 
we^  find  among  the  youths  or  children  carried  off  along 
with  Jehoiachin,  not  on]y  one  like  Daniel,  but  others 
of  the  same  spirit,  like  his  boy  companions,  Hananiah, 
Mishael,  and  Azariah.  They  could  not,  moreover,  have 
been  alone,  but  speak  of  a  leaven  true  to  the  faith  of 
their  fathers,  from  whom,  two  generations  later,  were 
to  rise  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  of  the  Return. 

The  first  notice  we  have  of  Daniel  is  in  connection 
with  a  sagacious  wish  on  the  part  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
the  reigning  king  of  Babylon,  that  a  number  of  children 
of  the  royal  and  nobler  families  of  Israel  might  be 
taught  the  literature  and  language  of  the  Chaldeans. 
Nothing  could  be  better  fitted  to  win  over  the  leaders 
of  the  captive  nation  to  loyalty  to  their  new  monarch, 
if  only  by  the  flattering  prospect  it  off'ered  of  the 
advancement  of  their  children  to  high  posts  of  honour 
and  emolument. 

The  requirements  of  those  thus  to  be  selected  show 
Daniel  to  have  been  equally  marked  by  physical  beauty 
'  Jer.  xix.  and  Ezek.  viii.  ^  Esd.  i.  38. 


I 


450  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

■^jand  intelligence,   for  only  sucli   were  to  be  taken  as 

iwere  without  blemish,  well  favoured,  and  bad  received 

'  a  good  education  in  the  knowledge  current  among  the 

^people  of  tbe  land.   ;  They  were  to  be,  in  fact,  future 

pashas  and  ministers,  acting  between  the  Chaldean  coui:t 

and   their  own   race,   and  acceptable  to  both.     Three 

years  were  to  be  devoted  to  the  special  training  of  the 

youths  thus  honoured,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  they 

were  to  be  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  pages  to  the 

great  king,  to  stand  in  his  presence. 

Among  the  favoured  few  were  Daniel  and  the  three 
youths  already  named,  who  henceforth,  according  to 
/custom  at  the  court  of  Babylon,  were  to  bear  the 
Chaldean  names  of  Belteshazzar — ^^  One  whom  Bel 
favours  " — Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego — "  The 
servant  of  Nego,"  a  Babylonian  idol.  They  were  forth- 
with taken  into  the  palace,  put  under  the  care  of  the 
chief  eunuch ;  fed  from  the  royal  table,  and,  doubtless, 
assiduously  instructed  in  all  the  Chaldean  wisdom  of 
the  day. 

The  strictness  of  the  Jewish  principles  of  the  youth 
Daniel  was  greatly  shocked  by  this  involuntary  pro- 
motion. It  was  impossible  for  him  to  eat  "  unclean " 
food,  and  equally  so  to  guard  against  this  sin  if  he 
shared  what  had  been  prepared  by  idolatrous  foreigners. 
Portions  were,  doubtless,  offered  from  it  to  heathen 
gods,  and  there  might  be  in  it  something  forbidden  by 
the  law.  The  only  safety  lay  in  the  use  of  none  but 
vegetable  food,  and  that,  we  may  feel  certain,  made 
ready  by  Jews.  Such  scruples  were  fortunately  re- 
spected, and  after  a  trial  of  the  effect  of  such  diet  on 
his  health,  the  young  Puritan  carried  his  point.  The 
simple  food  was  found  to  produce  better  results  than 
all   the   delicacies  that  could  have   been   offered,  and 


DANIEL.  451 

water,  as  in  all  ages,  was  found  a  better  tonic  for  the 
healthy  than  even  the  king's  wine. 

At  the  end  of  the  three  years'  probation,  the  four 
young  Jews,  now  duly  fitted  to  stand  before  the  king, 
were  introduced  to  his  presence  at  court.  Daniel  had 
not  long  been  there,  however,  before  an  incident 
occurred  which  paved  the  way  to  far  higher  honours. 
Nebuchadnezzar  had  been  troubled  by  a  dream,  which 
none  of  the  learned  Magi,  or  astrologers,  or  wonder- 
workers of  the  Chaldeans  could  interpret,  and  as  in  the  . 
case  of  Pharaoh  of  old,  in  similar  circumstances,  help 
was  sought  wherever  it  could  be  found.  That  they 
failed  was,  indeed,  no  wonder,  for  the  king  himself  had 
forgotten  his  vision.  But  this  was  not  allowed  as  an 
excuse,  and,  with  the  blind  tyranny  of  an  Oriental 
despot,  an  edict  was  published,  that  if  the  wise  men 
failed  to  recall  the  whole  to  the  royal  memory,  and  to 
interpret  it  aright,  they  should  be  cut  in  pieces  and 
their  very  houses  pulled  down. 

Daniel  and  his  companions,  being  ranked  among  the 
magicians  thus  proscribed,  were  now  in  imminent 
danger,  for  it  was  certain  that  no  human  ability  could , 
meet  the  king's  demands.  jArioch,  the  oJBScer  appointed 
to  the  duty,  was,  in  fact  at  once  senJLQuLby  the  furious 
tyrant  to  put  the  whole  order  to  death,  when  Daniel 
met  him,  and  having  gone  in  to  the  king,  crave'3  time, 
and  promised  to  meet  his  requirements. 

Earnest  prayer  on  the  part  of  the  young  Jew  and  his 
companions  followed,  and  was  not  left  without  an  answer. 
*'  The  secret  was  revealed  to  Daniel  in  a  night  vision," 
and  he  caused  himself  to  be  once  more  brought  before 
the  king,  and  gave  both  the  dream  and  its  explanation 
so  satisfactorily  that  he  was  made  a  great  man,  received 
many  gifts,  and  was   appointed   ruler  over  the  whole 


452  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

province  of  Babylon^  and  chief  of  tlie  governors  over  all 
the  wise  men  of  the  land.  Unwilling^  however,  to  leave 
his  companions  in  obscurity,  he  asked  and  obtained 
promotion  for  them  also,  though  as  a  special  distinction 
apartments  were  provided  for  himself  in  the  palace. 

But  life  in  high  places,  under  an  Eastern  monarchy, 
is  always  insecure.  In  a  mad  fit  of  caprice  Nebuchad- 
nezzar ordered  a  great  golden  idol  to  be  erected  in 
the  wide  plain  near  Babel,  most  probably  in  connection 
with  a  grand  feast,  to  celebrate  his  own  great  deeds, 
and  required  that  all  the  population  of  his  kingdom 
should  bow  to  it  and  pay  it  worship.  It  was,  before- 
hand, certain  that  spirits  such  as  those  of  Daniel  and 
his  friends,  would  not  for  a  moment  hesitate  to  disobey 
such  an  invasion  of  the  rights  of  conscience.  Others 
might  kneel  before  an  idol ;  they  would  rather  die. 

The  discredited  caste  of  the  Magi,  anxious  in  any  way 
to  compromise  the  foreigners,  whom  they  hated  as 
having  supplanted  them  in  royal  favour, — though 
Daniel  had,  indeed^  saved  them  from  destruction, — 
were  not  slow  to  take  advantage  of  this  high-minded 
independence.  Going  before  Nebuchadnezzar,  they 
recounted  the  daring  presumption  that  had  preferred 
fidelity  to  the  God  of  heaven  before  his  command.  It 
was  enough.  Nothing  was  too  terrible  to  satisfy  the 
wrath  of  the  king.  A  fiery  furnace  was  heated  seven 
times  hotter  than  usual,  and  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  bound  in  their  mantles,  their  hosen,  their 
turbans,  and  other  garments,  were  cast  into  its  midst. 
But  the  king,  in  all  his  might,  was  powerless  within  the 
circle  of  the  flames  :  it  was  taken  possession  of  by  Him 
whom  the  four  served  so  faithfully,  as  part  of  His  own 
dominions.  To  the  horror  of  all,  and  especially  of  the 
king,  they  walked  unhurt  amongst  the  fire,  and  at  their 


DANIEL.  453 

side  stood  a  form  wWcli  Nebucliadnezzar  could  only 
describe  as  ^^  like  a  Son  of  God."  Even  tlio  despot's 
pride  was  humbled  at  a  sigbt  so  august,  and  he  learned 
for  the  moment  a  lesson  of  humility.  Himself  approach- 
ing the  furnace,  he  summoned  them  to  come  forth,  and 
they  did  so,  untouched  by  its  violence.  No  wonder  that 
forthwith  there  went  out  an  edict  that  ^'  every  people, 
nation,  and  language,  which  speak  anything  amiss 
against  the  God  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego, 
should  be  cut  in  pieces,  and  their  houses  made  a  dung- 
hill; because  there  is  no  other  God  that  can  deliver 
after  this  sort." 

At  a  later  time  Daniel  was  enabled  to  offer  an  inter- 
pretation of  another  dream  of  the  king  which  remained 
inexplicable  to  the  Magi  and  their  associated  orders. 
Such  a  proof  of  wisdom  could  only  have  confirmed  him 
in  his  dignities.  This  is  the  last  incident  narrated 
respecting  Daniel  in  the  reign  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  The 
next  introduces  us  to  the  last  night  of  the  reign  of 
Belshazzar,  and  the  eve  of  the  fall  of  the  Babylonish 
empire. 

Trusting  to  the  strength  of  his  city  walls,  the  king 
held  a  great  feast,  at  which  the  sacred  vessels,  carried 
off  from  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  were  brought  out  in 
reckless  ostentation  and  defiance  of  Jehovah,  whom  it 
seemed  as  if  Babylon  had  humbled,  by  having  such 
vessels  as  trophies. 

But  in  the  midst  of  the  revelry  all  was  suddenly 
changed.  The  mysterious  form  of  a  man's  hand  was 
seen  writing  on  the  painted  wall  of  the  banqueting 
chamber  words  which  no  one  could  interpret.  Once 
more  Daniel  was  called  in,  and  with  grand  fearlessness 
at  once  read  them  as,  "  Mene,  Mene,  Tekel,  Upharsin : 
God  has  numbered  thy  kingdom  and  finished  it:  thou 


454  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

art  weiglied  in  tlie  balances,  and  found  wanting :  tliy 
kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to  tlie  Medes  and 
Persians/' 

That  niglit  Belshazzar  was  slain,  and  Darius  the  Mede 
took  the  kingdom. 

The  fame  of  Daniel  procured  him  even  greater  honour 
under  the  new  dynasty  than  he  had  enjoyed  under  the 
old.  A  hundred  and  twenty  satraps  governed  the  pro- 
vinces, and  under  them  were  three  high  dignitaries,  of 
whom  Daniel  was  the  first.  That  a  foreigner  and  a 
captive  should  have  such  a  place,  and  still  more,  that 
he  should  be  held  in  supreme  honour  for  his  wisdom 
and  parts,  naturally  excited  the  jealousy  of  the  great 
ones  of  the  empire,  and  another  conspiracy  was  formed 
against  him,  on  the  ground  of  his  faith. 

Approaching  Darius  with  the  flattering  but  impious 
proposal  that  no  one  should  ask  any  petition  for  thirty 
days  from  any  god,  but  only  from  the  king,  under  pain 
of  being  thrown  to  the  lions,  they  seemed  to  have  laid 
a  plot  into  which  Daniel  and  his  friends  must  fall. 

But  whether  they  should  perish  or  not  was  of  small 
moment  to  men  so  sternly  faithful  to  Jehovah.  Open- 
ing his  window  towards  Jerusalem,  Daniel  kneeled  and 
prayed  three  times  a  day,  as  beforetime,  and  gave 
thanks  to  his  God.  Spies  on  the  watch  instantly  re- 
ported him  ;  and  by  the  words  of  the  decree,  his 
destruction  seemed  certain.  But  the  same  God  who 
delivered  the  three  from  the  fires  of  the  furnace  shut 
the  mouths  of  the  lions,  and  saved  the  fourth  when 
cast  in  among  them.  Innocency  was  unharmed  even 
amongst  savage  beasts. 

This  is  the  last  notice  we  have  of  Daniel.  A  build- 
ing, said  to  be  his  tomb,  is  still  shown  on  the  banks  of 
the  Euphrates ;  but  its  only  worth  in  connection  with 


DANIEL. 


455 


him  is  as  a  proof  of  tlie  reverence  associated  witL.  his 
name.  We  are  only  told  tliat  lie  survived  the  aged 
Darius,  and  died  under  Cyrus  the  Persian,  or  rather, 
Elamite. 


ESTHER. 

BABYLON  was  taken  by  Cyrus  in  the  year  538 
before  Christ,  and  the  first  band  of  Pilgrim 
Fathers  was  allowed  to  return  to  Jerusalem  the  year 
after.  A  great  many  Jews,  however,  chose  to  remain 
in  the  East, — indeed,  the  great  majority  of  the  nation, 
— and  retained  the  purity  of  their  descent,  and  their 
existence  as  a  separate  community  so  perfectly,  that 
even  in  Palestine  it  was  said,  in  after  times,  that  the 
Jew  of  Babylon  was  as  superior  to  his  fellow  Israelites 
of  the  Holy  Land  as  the  finest  wheat  to  inferior.  The 
captivity  had  transferred  the  race  from  a  comparatively 
barren  country  to  one  of  the  richest  in  the  world ;  and  as 
the  Jew  at  no  time  cared  much  for  political  liberty  so 
long  as  he  was  permitted  the  exercise  of  his  faith,  the 
despotism  of  Persia  pleased  him,  in  quiet  times,  better 
than  independence  in  Palestine  could  have  done,  by  its 
offering  worldly  advantages  and  leaving  his  religious 
peculiarities  undisturbed. 

Cyrus  died  in  the  year  B.C.  529,  and  was  succeeded  by 
his  son  Cambyses,  who  was  too  much  engaged  in  war 
to  interest  himself  in  the  affairs  of  Judaea.  A  five 
years^  reign  saw  his  career  suddenly  ended  by  an  acci- 
dental wound  from  his  own  sword.  An  impostor  next 
secured  the  throne  for  eight  months,  but  having  been 

466 


ESTHER. 


457 


detected  and  put  to  death,  Darius  ascended  it  and  held 
the  power  till  his  death,  thirty-six  years  later.     Under 


him  the  Persian  monarchy  extended  from  the  Grecian 
Archipelago  on  the  west,  to  the  Indus  on  the  east,  and 


458  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

included  in  its  vast  sweep  Libya  and  Egypt^  Asia 
Minor,  Syria,  Mesopotamia,  Armenia,  Media,  and  tlie 
vast  regions  between  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  Himalaya 
range,  and  the  Caspian  Sea — an  empire  ranging  from 
east  to  west  through  fifty-five  degrees,  and  nearly 
twenty  from  north  to  south.  The  reign  of  Darius  is 
famous  for  the  conquest  of  the  G-reek  cities  on  the  east 
coast  of  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  which  led,  in  the 
next  reign,  to  the  invasion  of  Europe  and  the  glories  of 
Marathon  and  Thermopylge. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  B.C.  486  Darius  died,  in 
the  midst  of  preparations  for  war  against  G-reece,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Xerxes,  the  Ahasuerus  of  the 
Bible,  said  to  have  been  the  tallest  and  handsomest  man 
in  his  vast  empire,  but  weak,  capricious,  cruel,  and 
effeminate  in  character. 

The  Jews  had  already,  in  his  reign,  spread  them- 
selves east  and  west  from  Babylon,  through  all  the 
hundred-and- twenty  provinces  under  his  rule,  and,  as 
has  been  the  case  in  all  ages,  had  found  means  of  gain- 
ing influence  and  high  position  in  not  a  few  cases. 
Nearly  seven  hundred  years  after,  Benjamin  of  Tudela 
found  vast  communities  of  his  nation  settled  in  every 
part  of  Ancient  Persia,  Media,  and  Mesopotamia,  and 
we  can  easily  fancy  that  their  numbers  were  even 
greater  in  the  prosperous  times  of  their  early  settle- 
ment. 

The  capital  of  the  empire  of  Xerxes  was  Shushan,  or 
Susan, — "  The  Lily," — on  the  banks  of  the  Eul^eus,  or 
Ulai,  which  falls  into  the  Persian  Gulf. 

Its  ruins,  after  more  than  two  thousand  years,  cover 
a  space  of  about  three  miles  in  circumference,  including 
four  spacious  artificial  platforms  above  a  hundred  feet 
high,  the  site  of  once  famous  raised  gardens  and  mag- 


ESTHER. 


459 


nificent  palaces^  one  of  whicli — doubtless  that  mentioned 
in  Esther — was  approached  by  a  gigantic  colonnade, 
with  a  frontage  of  343  feet  and  a  depth  of  244.  In  the 
twenty  years  of  the  reign  of  Xerxes  there  might  be 
rumours  of  the  defeat  at  Marathon_,  five  years  before 
his  accession,  or  of  the  humiliating  flight  at  SaHmis, 


Tombs  of  Darivs  Hystaoi-is,  at  Persepolis. 

five  years  after  it,  but  these  troubles  on  the  far-away 
borders  of  so  vast  a  dominion,  would  affect  Shushan  as 
little  as  the  news  of  a  repulse  in  Bhootan  or  in  the 
Malay  Peninsula  would  move  London. 

Xerxes  had  not  yet   started  for  his   inglorious  cam- 
paign in  Greece,  but  was  in  the  full  tide  of  preparation. 


460  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

Troops  had  been  gathered  from  every  province  of  the 
empire,  and  it  seemed  as  if  a  host  greater  than  any 
drawn  together  in  all  history,  before  or  since,  must 
bring  him  an  easy  victory.  Before  he  set  off  he  pro- 
posed to  signalize  his  departure  by  grand  festivities. 
For  six  months,  therefore,  the  great  palace  at  Shushan 
was  the  scene  of  constant  banqueting,  as  satraps  and 
pashas  from  every  part  arrived  with  their  troops,  or  at- 
tended for  further  instructions.  Sitting  high  on  his  royal 
throne,  in  a  hall  blazing  with  gold,  Xerxes  *'  showed 
the  riches  of  his  glorious  kingdom  and  the  honour  of 
his  excellent  majesty"  as  the  ^'king  of  kings." 

The  long  reign  of  festivities  to  the  princes  and  high 
dignitaries  having  at  last  closed,  another,  of  seven  days' 
length,  was  given  in  the  royal  gardens  to  the  chief  men 
of  Shushan.  Kich  Babylonian  tapestry  of  white  and 
blue,  the  royal  colours,  and  of  endlessly  varied  patterns, 
were  festooned  from  marble  pillar  to  marble  pillar  of 
grand  colonnades— the  very  rings  that  fastened  them 
being  of  silver.  The  dining  couches  were  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  stood  on  pavements  of  malachite,  ivory, 
mother-of-pearl,  and  tortoise-shell;  and  the  guests 
drank  royal  wine  out  of  vessels  of  gold  of  different 
shapes  and  kinds. 

The  spirits  and  pride  of  Xerxes  were  at  their 
height^  and  express  commands  were  given  that  all 
might  drink  at  their  will;  it  may  be  for  the  king's 
success  in  his  approaching  campaign. 

Persian  queens  commonly  dined  with  their  husbands, 
but  at  a  time  like  this,  the  sultana,  Vashti — ''  The  best " 
or  '^  The  beauty  " — had  a  separate  feast  for  her  own 
sex,  that  they  too  might  be  dazzled  by  the  royal 
splendour.  On  the  seventh  day  of  the  rejoicings,  when 
the  wine  had  risen  to  the  head  of  Xerxes,  the  fancy 


ESTHEB.  461 

took  him  to  show  off  his  queen,  unveiled,  to  the  drunken 
revellers  at  his  table,  to  his  own  loss  of  respect,  and  to 
the  open  slight  of  the  queenly  modesty  and  rank,  for 
in  Persia  it  was  thought  unbecoming  for  a  queen  to 
appear  unveiled  before  men.  Haughty  in  her  pride  of 
beauty,  and  conscious  that  Xerxes  was  hardly  himself 
in  giving  such  a  command,  she  imprudently  trusted  to 
her  fancied  power  over  him,  and  when  the  eunuchs 
sent  by  him  came  to  ask  her  to  appear,  she  would  not  do 
so.  Her  husband  might  well  have  been  pleased  at  the 
delicacy  which  shrank  from  unwomanly  exposure,  but 
the  wine  was  in  his  brain,  and  in  his  rage  he  decreed 
her  instant  divorce. 

Four  years  passed,  during  which  he  had  been  to 
Europe,  and  had  returned  defeated  to  Shushan,  and 
there,  in  the  weariness  of  his  splendour,  he  began  to 
think  of  Vashti,  and  the  pleasure  she  had  been  to  him. 
He  had  a  harem  large  enough  even  for  a  Persian  king, 
but  there  was  no  one  of  all  its  inmates  like  the  lost 
^'  Beauty,"  and  he  fancied  he  should  like  just  such  a 
one  in  her  place.  Commands  were,  therefore,  sent 
forth  to  all  the  provinces,  in  true  despotic  style,  that 
the  fairest  girls  anywhere  known  should  be  sent  to 
Shushan  for  the  king's  inspection. 

Among  others  who  read  the  decree  to  this  effect  was 
Mordecai,  a  Benjamite  Jew  of  Shushan,  who  had  a 
niece, — Hadassah — '^The  myrtle," — fair  enough,  he 
thought,  to  win  the  favour  even  of  a  king.  He  found 
means,  therefore,  to  bring  her  to  the  head  eunuch,  in 
charge  of  the  harem,  and  she  commended  herself  so 
much  to  him  that  he  made  her  at  once  liis  special  care. 
Twelve  months  had  to  pass  before  she  could  be  taken 
to  the  king — months  passed  in  wearily  perfecting  her 
charms,  and  having  then  been   introduced  to  Xerxes, 


462  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEKS. 

doubtless  witli  the  recommendation  of  tlie  eunucli,  slie 
won  all  tlie  favour  Yasliti  liad  lost.  Slie  was  no  longer 
to  be  known  by  ber  former  name_,  but  was  to  be  Estber, 
— ^^  Tbe  star/' — and  was  to  take  tbe  place  of  Yasbti  as 
tbe  sultana. 

Meanwhile,  Mordecai  found  means  to  be  of  supreme 
use  to  tbe  king,  by  revealing  a  conspiracy  against  bis 
life,  wbicb  Esther  duly  made  known  to  him,  though 
Mordecai  still  remained  in  the  background,  and  his 
relationship  to  the  sultana  was  unsuspected. 

Among  the  attendants  at  court  during  these  years, 
by  a  strange  chance,  was  a  descendant  of  the  Emirs  of 
Amalek,  the  sworn  hereditary  enemies  of  Israel.  He 
had  escaped  from  the  slaughter  of  his  race  by  Jewish 
bands,  and  had  sought  refuge  at  the  palace  of  the 
great  king,  a  common  centre  to  which  noble  exiles  were 
wont  to  flee  in  time  of  trouble.  Haman — ''  The  great 
one" — found  favour  with  the  king  as  he  told  his 
romantic  story,  and  gradually  won  his  way  to  the  first 
place  of  honour  at  court.  So  high  did  he  rise,  indeed, 
that  a  special  command  was  issued  that  all  the  king's 
servants  should  prostrate  themselves  before  him  as  he 
passed,  in  Eastern  reverence. 

One  head,  however,  was  noticed  never  to  bow.  It 
was  of  no  use  that  Haman's  attendants  strove  to  force 
the  general  homage  in  this  particular  case;  and  no 
wonder.  It  was  the  Jew  Mordecai  who  refused  it,  for 
why  should  a  Jew  bow  to  an  accursed  Amalekite  ?  Ere 
long  Haman  himself  heard  of  it,  and  heard  also  that 
Mordecai  was  of  the  nation  his  soul  hated — the  nation 
that  had  all  but  extirpated  his  race.  Scorning  to  strike 
so  mean  an  enemy  singly,  Haman  determined  to  try  if 
it  were  not  possible  to  use  his  influence  to  destroy  the 
whole  abhorred  people  at  a  blow. 


ESTHER.  463 

Availing  Mmself  of  an  audience  witli  Xerxes,  lie 
represented  to  him  tliat  tliere  was  a  race  of  people  in 
his  dominions  wliose  laws  were  diflferent  from  those  of 
the  empire,  and  who  slighted  his  commands  in  favour 
of  their  own  customs.  It  was  not  seemly  that  such  a 
spectacle  of  disobedience  should  be  tolerated.  If  per- 
mission were  given,  he,  Haman,  would  utterly  destroy 
the  worthless  rebels,  and  would  besides  pay  into  the 
treasury  ten  thousand  talents  of  silver,  over  a  million 
and  three  quarter  pounds  sterling,  from  the  plunder  of 
their  wealth.  The  bare  mention  of  any  people  to  whom 
his  will  was  not  in  all  things  supreme,  touched  the 
tyrant  to  the  quick.  Refusing  the  silver,  he  hastily 
drew  the  signet  ring  from  his  hand  and  gave  it  to 
Haman,  thus  granting  him  full  authority  to  do  as  he 
pleased  with  such  a  race. 

Letters  were  instantly  drawn  up,  and  after  being 
duly  stamped  with  the  royal  seal,  were  sent  off  to 
every  province  of  the  empire,  commanding  a  universal 
massacre  of  all  Jews,  of  both  sexes  and  all  ages,  on  a 
given  day;  their  property  to  be  the  spoil  of  their 
murderers.  In  Shushan  alone,  in  Benjamin  of  Tudela's 
time,  there  were  fourteen  synagogues,  and  there  were 
nearly  250,000  in  the  Mesopotamian  provinces,  after  the 
persecutions  and  dispersions  of  seventeen  centuries,  so 
that  the  magnitude  of  the  crime  contemplated  was 
appalling. 

Mordecai  soon  heard  what  was  intended,  and  having 
rent  his  clothes,  put  on  sackcloth,  and  wailed  the 
coming  ruin  of  his  people.  Consternation  spread 
through  all  the  Jewish  families  in  the  empire ;  their 
destruction  seemed  certain. 

Esther,  in  the  depths  of  the  palace,  presently  heard, 
through  her  maids,  of  Mordecai^ s  strange   behaviour. 


464  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

and  before  long  was  horrified  at  learning  its  cause.  A 
friendly  eunuch  had  learned  from  him  the  whole  mon- 
strous plot. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  Esther  had  all  the  love  of  a 
Jewess  for  her  people,  but  there  was  a  standing  law 
that  no  one  could  approach  the  king,  except  by  his 
special  command,  on  pain  of  death,  unless  he  chose 
to  hold  out  his  golden  sceptre  to  them  as  token  of 
forgiveness,  and  she  had  not  been  summoned  to  appear 
before  him  for  the  last  thirty  days.  It  might  be  too 
late  if  she  waited  till  she  were  called,  and  yet  the 
prohibition  to  enter  the  presence  unsummoned  stood  in 
all  its  force. 

Her  position  was  painful  and  diflSicult.  On  reflection 
she  could  not  help  seeing  that  her  nationality  would 
mark  her  as  an  especial  victim,  and  she  must  have 
known  the  story  of  Haman  and  Mordecai,  for  it  would 
be  the  gossip  of  the  court.  If  she  did  nothing  she 
must  perish,  and  with  her,  her  people,  and  the  uncle 
she  loved  so  well.  Mordecai  sent  her  word  to  this 
efi'ect,  and  added,  that  "  if  she  failed  in  her  duty, 
others  would  be  more  courageous,  but  that  she  surely 
would  die.  Besides,  might  it  not  be  that  God  had 
exalted  her  for  just  such  a  time  as  this  ? '' 

Esther's  resolution  was  soon  taken.  ^^Tell  Mordecai,'^ 
said  she,  '^to  cause  all  the  Jews  in  Shushan  to  fast 
three  days  and  nights  for  me ; "  she  and  her  maidens 
would  do  the  same.  Then  she  would  brave  it,  and  go 
into  the  king's  presence,  and  if  she  died,  she  would  die. 

On  the  third  day,  having  decked  herself  in  her 
queenly  robes,  she  ventured  to  approach  the  king,  and 
to  her  delight  he  held  out  the  sceptre,  to  invite  her 
coming  near.  Asking  her  wish,  he  was  told  that  she 
sought  the  honour  of  his  presence  and  that  of  Haman, 


ESTHER.*  465 

that  day  at  a  banquet  of  wine.  The  request  was  forth- 
witli  granted,  and  when  the  hour  came,  Xerxes  was  so 
captivated  by  her,  that  he  vowed  he  would  give  her 
half  his  kingdom,  if  she  asked  it.  ''  For  what,  would 
she  please  to  say,  had  she  invited  him  ?  '^  ^'  Only  that  he 
and  Haman  should  banquet  with  her  the  nest  day  also  ; 
she  would  then  tell  him  what  she  had  on  her  mind." 

Delighted  at  an  invitation  to  dine  with  the  king  and 
queen  alone,  Haman  went  home  wild  with  excitement,  and 
boasting  of  his  good  fortune.  ''  But,'^  said  he,  "  what  is 
all  this  to  me,  while  Mordecai  the  Jew  sits  there  at  the 
king's  gate  ?"  "  Let  a  gallows  be  made  fifty  cubits  high," 
said  Zeresh,  his  wife,  "  and  hang  him  on  it,  and  then 
go  merrily  to  the  king's  banquet.'^  It  seemed  a  good 
thought,  and  Haman  ordered  the  gallows  accordingly. 

It  chanced  that  Xerxes  could  not  sleep  that  night, 
and  to  while  away  the  hours,  commanded  that  the 
records  of  his  reign  should  be  brought  and  read  to  him. 
Amongst  other  incidents,  the  conspiracy  against  his  life, 
made  known  by  Mordecai,  happened  to  be  repeated, 
and  the  question  forthwith  naturally  rose — ^What  had 
been  done  to  one  who  had  rendered  so  great  a  service  ? 
It  appeared  that  Mordecai  had  till  then  been  forgotten. 
Morning  now  came  ;  and  among  others  gathered  in  the 
outer  court  waiting  an  audience,  was  Haman,  bent  on 
obtaining  permission  to  hang  Mordecai.  Being  allowed 
to  enter,  Xerxes  anticipated  his  speaking  by  the 
question,  "  What  should  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the 
king  delights  to  honour  ?  "  He  intends  some  new 
favour  to  myself,  thought  Haman,  and  forthwith  re- 
plied, "  Let  a  robe  of  state  which  the  king  has  himself 
worn,  be  brought,  and  a  horse  on  which  the  king  has 
ridden,  with  its  royal  trappings,  especially  the  head- 
ornament  of  a  royal  crown,  which  the  king's  charger 

H    H 


466  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

bears^  and  let  one  of  tlie  Mgliest  princes  array  the 
king's  friend  in  these  robes,  and  seat  him  on  the  horse, 
and  lead  him  on  horseback  through  the  city,  proclaim- 
ing before  him.  Thus  shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  whom 
the  king  delighteth  to  honour/^ 

To  his  unspeakable  horror  he  was  himself  instantly 
ordered  to  do  all  this  to  Mordecai ! 

Before  long  the  hour  came  for  the  banquet,  and  at  it 
Esther  broke  her  secret  to  the  king,  asking  him,  to  his 
astonishment,  that  he  would  spare  her  life  and  the  life 
of  her  people,  and  denouncing  Haman  as  having  in- 
veigled him  to  pronounce  death  against  both  her  and 
them.  In  his  rage  Xerxes  rose  at  once  and  stalked  out 
into  the  palace  garden ;  but  having  presently  returned, 
and  finding  Haman  pleading  for  his  life  at  the  side  of 
the  queen's  couch,  his  blind  fury  assumed  further  crime 
on  the  part,  of  the  wretched  man.  A  few  moments  after, 
and  the  Amalekite  was  hanging  on  the  gallows  he  had 
erected  the  day  before  for  Mordecai. 

But  though  the  queen  was  saved,  her  race  was  not. 
Venturing  a  second  time  into  the  king's  presence,  she 
obtained  a  decree  empowering  them  everywhere  to 
resist  any  violence.  This  was  sent,  like  the  edict  for 
their  massacre,  everywhere  through  the  empire,  and 
was  acted  on  so  vigorously  that  they  at  all  places  became 
the  aggressors,  and  slew  more  than  75,000  of  their 
enemies.  At  Shushan,  to  make  Haman's  tragedy  com- 
plete, his  ten  sons  were,  like  their  father,  hanged. 

So  great  an  event  could  not  be  passed  over  in  the 
history  of  a  people.  From  that  time  the  feast  of  Purim 
commemorates  it  each  year.  The  Book  of  Esther  is  then 
read  amidst  fierce  cries  of  hatred  from  all  present;  joy- 
ful feasts  are  held  in  the  illuminated  houses  of  all  Jews, 
and  special  alms  eagerly  dispensed. 


NEHEMIAH.^ 

THE  deatli  of  King  Josiali  was  the  knell  of  the 
Jewish  Monarchy.  His  reformation  had  had  the 
vital  defect  of  resting  on  force  rather  than  on  the  con- 
victions and  inner  life  of  the  people,  and  had  hence  been 
only  superficial,,  and  must  have  been  as  distasteful  to 
large  numbers  as  the  strictness  of  Puritanism  to  the 
generations  of  the  Commonwealth.  The  master  spirit 
removed,  the  licence  of  our  Eestoration  followed. 
Pharaoh  Necho  was  lord  paramount,  and  treated  Judah 
as  a  conquered  province.  The  people,  using  their 
ancient  right,  chose  Jehoahaz — "sustained  by  Jehovah'^ 
— one  of  Josiah's  sons,  as  king,  but  Necho  displaced  him 
after  three  months,  in  which  the  unfortunate  puppet- 
monarch  showed  that  he  had  thrown  himself  entirely 
into  the  hands  of  the  heathen  party. 

Marching  northwards  from  the  battle-field  which  had 
made  him  ruler  of  Palestine,  Necho  halted  at  Riblah 
on  the  Orontes,  on  the  caravan  road  to  the  Euphrates. 

^  In  the  ancient  Persian  sculptures  the  cup-bearers  and  im- 
mediate attendants  on  the  great  king  are  represented  wearing  a 
peculiar  head-dress,  which  entirely  muflfles  the  mouth.  This  was 
probably  to  prevent  the  breath  from  coming  into  ccmtact  with 
the  royal  viands. 

4«7 


468  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

Thitlier  lie  summoned  Jehoaliaz^  and  forthwith,  banished 
him  to  Egypt,  setting  up  his  brother  Eliakim  as  king, 
in  his  stead,  at  Jerusalem,  and  imposing  a  tribute  on 
Judah  of  a  hundred  talents  of  silver  and  one  talent  of 
gold — an  amount  equivalent  to  about  £3,500 — all,  doubt- 
less, the  impoverished  land  could  pay.  Jehoahaz  had 
been  chosen  by  the  people  as  if  they  were  still  free  :  his 
dethronement  and  the  elevation  of  his  brother  showed 
them  that  henceforth  their  rulers  were  only  creatures  of 
Necho. 

The  very  name  of  Eliakim  was  changed,  and  he  was 
recognised  as  Jehoiakim,  as  if  to  show  his  dependence 
more  thoroughly.  His  vassal  reign  continued  for  eleven 
years,  as  he  proved  himself  duly  obedient,  paying  his 
tribute  regularly. 

Necho  had  marched  after  the  battle  of  Megiddo,  by 
Damascus,  to  Carchemish  on  the  Euphrates, — the  con- 
necting link  between  Assyria  and  Syria, — and  having 
taken  the  fortress,  severed  the  Assyrian  territory  at  one 
blow.  All  the  country  west  of  the  great  river  thus  fell 
into  his  hands,  and  remained  subject  to  him,  till  Necho, 
in  his  turn,  was  vanquished  by  the  rising  power  of 
Babylon. 

While  Assyria  was  thus  stripped  of  its  western  pro- 
vinces, Nineveh  itself  had  been  besieged  and  taken  by 
the  united  forces  of  the  Modes  and  Babylonians^  for 
the  time  allied  with  Necho,  and  thus  the  Assyrian 
empire  had  finally  perished. 

No  sooner  was  it  thus  crushed  than  Nabopolassar, 
the  king  of  Babylon,  sent  his  son  Nebuchadnezzar 
to  wrest  Necho's  share  of  the  spoil  from  him^  which 
was  summarily  effected  by  a  second  battle  at  Carche- 
mish, in  the  year  B.C.  605,  after  Necho  had  enjoyed 
his  triumph  only  three  or  four  years. 


NEHEMIAH.  469 

No  longer  subject  to  Egypt,  and  thinking  himself 
safe  from  a  power  so  distant  as  Babylon,  Jehoiakim  ere 
long  dreamed  of  independence,  and  refused  to  pay  any 
more  tribute.  A  year  after  Necho's  defeat,  Nebuchad- 
nezzar himself  had  come  to  the  throne,  but  he  was  too 
much  engaged  in  the  east  to  trouble  himself  about 
Palestine.  The  puppet  king  of  Judah,  however,  could 
hardly  maintain  himself  against  the  neighbouring  popu- 
lations, and  was  far  enough  from  regaining  independence. 
He  was  left  however  on  the  throne,  and  bequeathed  his 
dignity  to  his  son  Jehoiachin,  but  the  vengeance  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  at  last  free  to  bring  the  nation  to 
a  reckoning. 

It  was  about  seven  years  after  Necho's  defeat  when 
the  army  of  Babylon  appeared  before  Jerusalem,  which  j  ^ 
ere  long  surrendered.  Then  came  the  beginning  of  the 
end.  The  king  himself,  his  mother,  his  harem,  his 
court,  his  nobles,  and  the  flower  of  the  army  were 
carried  into  captivity,  the  smiths  especially  being  taken 
away,  lest  the  people  should  by  their  means  procure 
arms.  The  treasures  of  the  Temple  rewarded  the  con- 
queror. As  Jehoiachin  had  no  children,  Nebuchadnezzar, 
willing  to  rule  through  the  native  princes,  if  possible, 
set  Mattaniah,  the  third  son  of  Josiah,  and  uncle  of 
Jehoiachin,  on  the  throne,  changing  his  name  to  Zede- 
kiah,  and  for  nine  years  the  change  seemed  to  work 
well.  Then,  at  last,  came  the  catastrophe.  Eefusal 
to  pay  tribute  brought  the  Babylonian  army  once  more 
to  the  gates  of  Jerusalem,  which  yielded  in  the  spring 
of  the  year  588,  after  a  siege  of  two  years.  The  fury 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  at  such  a  resistance  was  boundless. 
Zedekiah's  sons  having  been  slain  before  their  father's 
sight,  his  own  eyes  were  then  put  out,  and  he  was  led 
in  chains  to  Babylon.     The  Temple    and   city  were 


470  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

burned^  and  tlie  walls  were  levelled ;  every  thing  worth 

taking  was  carried  off,  and  tlie  bulk  of  tlie  population 

swept  away  to  tlie  banks  of  tlie  Cliebar  in  Mesopotamia. 

But  tlie  glory  of  Babylon^  like  tbat  of  all  tbe  great 

/V Oriental  despotisms  of  antiquity,  was  sliort-lived,  for  a 

.  Y^ new  enemy  appeared  in  the  Persians,  who,  under  Cyrus, 

V    took  even  Babylon  itself,  within  "fifty  years  after  the 

destruction  of  Jerusalem  (b.c.  638). 

The  loss  of  their  country,  the  influence  of  the  pro- 
phets who  sought  constantly  to  wake  them  to  a  higher 
religious  life,  and  the  warnings  and  exhortations  of 
their  holy  books,  had  already  waked  in  the  Exiles  a 
deeper  interest  in  the  faith  of  their  fathers  than  had 
been  felt  for  ages.  A  large  number  had  grown  in- 
tensely earnest  in  their  devotion  to  it,  and  hence  the 
very  first  year  of  the  reign  of  Cyrus  saw  a  request 
made,  that  as  many  as  chose  might  return  to  their  own 
f..„  land  and  rebuild  their  ruined  capital.  They  doubtless 
I  I  promised  to  be  an  efficient  defence  of  his  western  fron- 
tier, but  in  the  purposes  of  Providence  the  whole  future 
of  revelation  hung  on  their  return.  Cyrus,  politic  and 
tolerant,  at  once  granted  the  petition. 

Fifty  thousand  persons  of  both  sexes  and  all  con- 
ditions availed  themselves  of  this  permission  to  go 
back  to  Palestine — a  number  small  compared  with  the 
fainter  hearts  who  remained  behind,  but  sufficient, 
as  it  proved,  to  found  the  nation  once  more,  in  its 
ancient  home.  The  leadership  of  these  Pilgrim  Fathers 
was  given  to  Joshua,  the  high  priest,  and  to  Zerub- 
babel,  a  scion  of  the  family  of  David,  and  under 
their  guidance  Jerusalem  was  ere  long  reached.  But 
jealousy  of  his  origin  caused  Zerubbabel  to  be  soon 
recalled;  the  hatred  of  the  surrounding  people  threw 
constant  difficulties  in  the  way  of  restoring  the  ruined 


NEHEMIAH.  471 

towns,  and  tlie  position  of  the  colonists  became  gradually 
almost  desperate. 

Meanwhile  tlie  mass  of  tlie  nation  left  behind  in 
Persia  retained  the  most  lively  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  their  adventurous  brethren.  At  last,  eighty  years 
after  the  first  return,  it  was  determined  to  send  rein- 
forcements to  the  sorely  tried  exiles,  and  a  leader  was 
chosen,  the  scribe  Ezra,  who  was  destined  to  revolu- 
tionize Jewish  history,  as  the  founder  of  all  that 
constitutes  later  Judaism.  Carrying  with  him  costly 
offerings  to  aid  in  the  re-erection  of  the  Temple,  which 
still  lay  waste,  Ezra  had  the  happiness  of  reaching 
Jerusalem  safely. 

The  new  leader  was  pre-eminently  a  zealot  for  the 
Ceremonial  Law,  which  he  identified  with  the  interests 
of  religion.  He  saw  that  the  ruin  of  the  nation  had 
come  from  the  intermixture  of  heathen  customs  and 
ways  of  thought,  and  determined  to  isolate  his  race, 
thenceforward,  from  all  others,  by  insisting  on  strictly 
national  marriages  in  every  case ;  by  pressing  the  dis- 
tinction of  clean  and  unclean  food,  and  by  demanding 
a  minute  fidelity  to  ritual  and  formal  observances 
peculiar  to  the  nation.  His  success  was  the  creation 
of  the  Rabbinical  system,  which  has  kept  the  Jew  dis- 
tinct from  all  other  nations  ever  since,  and  has  also 
frozen  his  religion  into  an  endless  repetition  of  external 
observances. 

Jerusalem  was  at  this  time,  as  it  had  been  since  the 
Persian  conquest,  under  the  government  of  Pashas  sent 
direct  from  the  court  at  Shush  an.  Artaxe^xes^  ^'  the  long 
handed,^'  was  then  the  Persian  king,  and  among  his 
attendants  was  a  Jew,  Nehemiah,  holding  the  high 
office  of  cupbearer  royal,  a  post  of  the  highest  confidence, 
since  it  implied  responsibility  for  the  monarch's  life. ' 


472  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTEES. 

Things  liad  gone  worse  tlian  ever  with,  the  Jews  at 
Jerusalem  since  Ezra's  arrival.  He  had  caused  great 
dissatisfaction  by  demanding  the  repudiation  of  all 
wives  not  of  Jewish  blood.  Irregularities  of  every  kind 
had  been  rigorously  corrected.  Men  of  alien  race^  but 
proselytes  to  the  worship  of  Jehovah^  had  encroached 
on  the  special  privileges  of  Jews  and  the  sanctity  of 
holy  places,  and  were  at  once  required  to  take  a  subor- 
dinate position.  The  Samaritans  also  had  been  greatly 
irritated  by  the  harsh  refusal  of  Ezra  to  enter  into 
friendly  religious  relations  with  them,  or  to  recognise 
them  as  Jews.  The  result  of  all  was  disastrous.  Petty 
war  broke  out,  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  were  broken 
down  as  fast  as  they  were  built,  and  the  community 
every  way  imperilled. 

Nehemiah  heard  the  sad  news  with  the  keenest 
regret,  and  determined,  if  possible,  to  get  permission  to 
cast  in  his  lot  with  his  suffering  brethren.  It  was  not 
till  three  months  had  passed,  however,  that  he  found  an 
opportunity  of  making  known  his  wish  to  Artaxerxes. 
His  sadness  attracted  the  king's  attention,  and  led  to 
his  revealing  his  grief  at  the  miseries  of  his  brethren 
in  Jerusalem,  and  to  his  begging  that  he  might  be 
allowed  to  go  thither  and  build  up  the  town.  The  king 
and  queen  at  once  granted  him  leave  of  absence  for  a 
fixed  time,  which,  however,  was  subsequently  extended 
to  at  least  twelve  years.  He  was  commissioned  to 
go  as  Pasha,  under  the  safe  conduct  of  appointed 
guards  :  the  Pashas  of  the  districts  west  of  the  Eu- 
phrates being  ordered  to  aid  him  in  his  journey,  and 
the  stewards  of  the  woods  and  forests  near  Jerusalem 
commanded  to  supply  him  with  wood  for  the  building 
of  the  city  wall,  for  the  city  itself,  and  his  own  house, 
and  with  other  necessaries.  ^ 


NEHEMIAH.  473 

Nehemiah  reached  Jerusalem  in  the  beginning  of  tlie 
summer  of  B.C.  457,^  and  set  about  bis  self-appointed 
task  with  an  energy  that  guaranteed  success.  On  the 
third  night  after  his  arrival  he  inspected  the  state  of 
the  walls  under  the  guidance  of  a  small  band  of  attend- 
ants, and  was  able  to  judge  that  they  could  be  quickly 
restored  if  sufficient  vigour  were  used.  An  assembly 
was  now  summoned  of  the  priests,  nobles,  leading  men, 
and  people,  and  the  permission  of  the  king  that  the 
walls  should  be  rebuilt  was  communicated  to  them.  It 
was  forthwith  decided  that  they  should  be  restored. 

The  matter  could  no  longer  remain  secret,  and  at 
once  raised  whispers  among  the  enemies  of  the  Jews, 
that  a  revolt  was  intended.  But  Nehemiah  took  no 
heed  of  the  insinuation,  and  went  steadily  on  with  his 
work,  trusting  that  God  would  help  him  to  complete  it. 
The  high  priest  and  his  brother ;  the  priests,  and  the 
people  of  Jerusalem ;  Jericho,  and  other  towns  round, 
threw  themselves  eagerly  into  the  undertaking,  and 
formed  separate  guilds  of  workmen  to  carry  on  simul- 
taneously the  tasks  assigned  them.  A  few,  however, 
and  they  the  chief  men,  stood  aloof.  As  the  enemies 
of  Israel  saw  the  work  advance ,  they  at  first  took  for 
granted  it  would  result  in  nothing  lasting,  but  when 
unwearied  activity  had  raised  the  walls  to  half  their 
height,  a  plan  was  concerted  to  attack  the  workmen 
and  stop  their  progress  by  violence.  Nehemiah,  how- 
ever, was  warned  in  time,  and  defeated  the  scheme  by 
ordering  the  builders  to  go  to  their  places  with  their 
weapons  as  well  as  tools.  Still,  there  was  danger,  and 
the  ever  watchful  chief  guarded  against  it  by  enrolling 
in  a  corps  all  the  men  able  to  bear  arms,  and  making 

^  This  may  be  taken  as  the  date  when  Herodotus  was  com- 
posing his  History,  and  when  Perikles  was  in  his  glory. 


474  OLD  TESTAMENT  CHAEACTERS. 

fresli  arrangements  to  liurry  still  faster  the  completion 
of  tlie  walls. 

But  tliere  were  otlier  difficulties  besides  open  hos- 
tility. The  poor  in  the  community  were  found  to  be 
suffering  grievously  from  the  heartlessness  of  their 
richer  brethren.  Summoned  to  public  work  on  the 
walls,  they  could  not  follow  their  own  callings  and  care 
for  their  households,  and  since  they  could  not  be  spared, 
their  grievances  demanded  redress.  The  labouring 
class  needed  food.  Owners  of  land  had  pledged  their 
vineyards,  fields,  and  houses  to  buy  wheat.  Others  had 
borrowed  money  on  their  ground  to  pay  the  Persian 
king's  taxes,  and  even  when  all  had  been  given  up  to 
their  creditors,  were  still  said  to  be  in  debt,  and  were  on 
the  point  of  selling  their  sons  and  daughters  to  pay  the 
usury  extorted  for  them  ;  indeed,  some  had  sold  their 
daughters  already. 

Nehemiah  bitterly  reproached  the  men  who  had 
treated  their  brethren  so  shamefully,  and  set  be- 
fore all,  in  a  public  assembly,  the  efforts  and  sacrifice 
he  had  made  to  redeem  their  brethren,  the  Jews  sold 
into  slavery  to  alien  races,  while  some  of  themselves 
were  treating  the  poor  of  the  community  with  such 
heartlessness  that  they  were  being  forced  to  sell  their 
children  !  He  pleaded  with  them,  therefore,  to  restore 
the  land  of  all  debtors,  and  to  abandon  their  claims. 
Eoused  by  his  enthusiasm,  all  consented,  and  took  an 
oath  to  that  effect.  Nehemiah,  as  they  knew,  had 
waived  his  privilege,  as  Pasha,  to  demand  supplies  for 
his  personal  use  from  the  people,  during  all  the  years 
of  his  residence  in  Jerusalem,  and  had  kept  open  table 
daily  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  poor.  With  such 
an  example  they  were  shamed  into  better  courses. 

The   building   of    the   walls    now    went   on   rapidly. 


NEHEMIAH.  475 

Only  tlie  gates  were  wanting.  Attempts  were  made  to  / 
lure  Neliemiali  outside,  that  he  might  be  murdered,  but '  ^ 
he  was  too  prudent  to  expose  himself.  Nor  were  efforts 
to  poison  the  mind  of  the  king  against  him  more  suc- 
cessful. Conscious  of  his  integrity,  he  went  on  steadily 
with  his  work,  and  when  it  was  suggested  that  he  should 
defend  himself  before  a  council  of  his  enemies,  he 
quietly  refused.  No  snare  by  which  he  might  be  caught 
was  unused.  It  was  proposed  that  he  should  flee  into 
the  holy  place  for  refuge  against  alleged  intended  at- 
tempts on  his  life,  his  enemies  knowing  that  to  do  so 
would  bring  him  into  collision  with  the  people  for  sacri- 
lege. But  he  answered,  that  as  a  layman  he  could  not 
enter  such  a  spot,  and  thus  thwarted  the  plot  against  him. 

The  walls  were  at  last  finished  in  fifty-two  days 
from  their  commencement,  and  their  completion  greatly 
impressed  the  numerous  enemies  of  the  community. 
Measures  were  now  taken  to  bring  within  the  city  a 
population  equal  to  its  permanent  defence ;  and  this 
attained,  the  walls  were  consecrated  with  great  solemnity. 
Two  choirs  started  from  a  fixed  point :  one,  with  Ezra 
at  the  head  of  the  priests  and  Levites,  going  round  the 
northern  half  of  the  city,  while  the  other  went  round 
the  southern  half,  the  two  meeting  at  the  Temple,  where 
numerous  sacrifices  were  offered,  amidst  the  loud  re- 
joicings of  the  people. 

Having  finished  his  great  task  Nehemiah  returned  to 
Shushan  to  the  king ;  but  before  long  he  found  himself 
constrained  to  ask  leave  to  visit  Jerusalem  once  more. 
During  his  absence  abuses  of  many  kinds  had  crept  in, 
and  there  was  the  utmost  need  of  stricter  discipline  ' 
and  restored  order.  He  was  no  sooner  in  the  holy  city 
once  more,  asJPasha,  than  he  set  himself  with  a  firm 
hand  to  introduce  all  the  needed  reforms.      The  high 


476  OLD   TESTAMENT   CHAEACTEES. 

priest,  Eliashib,  who  should  have  been  a  zealous  sup- 
porter of  Ezra  and  Neliemiali,  had  disliked  the  sternness 
with  which  Jews  were  separated  from  other  races,  and 
had  given  chambers  in  the  Temple  to  his  relation  Tobias, 
one  of  the  old  enemies  of  the  Pasha.  All  that  be- 
longed to  this  offender  was  at  once  taken  out  of  the 
sacred  building,  and  the  chambers  restored  to  their 
former  uses,  after  they  had  been  purified.  The  Levites 
and  Singers  had  gone  off  to  their  own  land,  to  till  it, 
because  the  titlies  were  not  paid  them ;  but  Nehemiah 
made  arrangements  to  prevent  that  in  future,  and  secured 
them  due  payment  in  Jerusalem,  that  the  services  of 
the  Temple  might  not  be  neglected.  The  Sabbath  had 
gradually  become  a  market  day,  but  now  the  most 
stringent  laws  were  made  to  prohibit  such  an  abuse. 
In  his  zeal,  Nehemiah  bitterly  taunted  Jews  who  had 
married  foreign  wives.  The  grandson  of  Eliashib,  who 
had  married  a  daughter  of  Sanballat,  and  would  not 
divorce  her,  was  made  to  leave  Jerusalem,  and  absolute 
isolation  was  enforced  on  the  whole  community,  in  all 
points  required  by  the  law. 

Nehemiah's  narrative  gives  no  intimation  of  the  time 
or  place  of  his  death,  or  of  the  details  of  his  later  life. 
In  the  Second  Book  of  Maccabees,  however,  it  is  stated 
that  he,  first,  collected  the  sacred  books  of  The  Kings, 
The  Prophets,  and  the  writings  of  David,  so  that  we 
are  indebted  to  him  for  the  first  step  in  the  history  of 
the  Canon  of  the  Old  Testament. 

The  Jews  owed  to  Nehemiah  the  preservation  of  their 
nationality  in  a  political  sense,  as  they  were  indebted 
to  Ezra  for  the  religious  system  which  has  kept  them 
distinct  and  imperishable  for  more  than  two  thousand 
years.  The  two  were,  together,  the  second  foanders  of 
the  nation. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLES 

OF  JEWISH  HISTORY  FROM   THE   DIVISION   OF  SOLOMON'S 

KINGDOM,   WITH   CONTEMPORARY  DATES   CONNECTED 

WITH  IT.    FROM  THE  LATEST  AUTHORITIES. 


938.  Division  of  the  Kingdoms. 
Of  course  all  the  years  are  to  be  understood  as  "  Before  Christ.** 


Israel. 

Judah. 

938-917.     Jeroboam  I.  (22  years). 

938-922.     Rehoboam  (17  years). 

934. 

Invasion  of  Shishak. 

921.    Eighteenth  year  of  Jeroboam's 

921-919.    Abijah  (3  years). 

reign. 

919.    Twentieth  year  of  Jeroboam's 

919. 

Asa  began  to  reign. 

reign. 

918-878.    Asa  (41  years). 

P17-916.     Nadab  (2  years). 

917. 

Asa's  second  year. 

916-89».    Baasha  (24  years). 

91G. 

Asa's  third  year. 

909. 

Asa's  tenth  year.  The  over- 
throw of  Zerah. 

904. 

Fifteenth  year  of  Asa's  reign. 

893-892.    Elah  (2  years). 

893. 

Tweuty-sixth  year  of  Asa's 
reign. 

892.     Zimri  (7  days). 

892. 

Twenty-seventh  year  of  Asa's 

892-888.    Tibui  and  Omri. 

reign. 

888-877.     Omri  (12  years). 

888. 

Thirty-first  year  of  Asa's  reign. 

882.     Removal     of     residence     to 

Samaria. 

878.    The  eleventh  year   of   Omri's 

878. 

Death   of    Asa.     Jehoshaphafc 

reign. 

began  to  reign. 

877.    Twelfth  year  of  Omri's  reign. 

877-853.     Jehoshaphat'g    reign    (25 

His  death.     Ahab  ascended 

years). 

the    throne.    First    year  of 

Ahab's  reign. 

877-856.    Ahab's  reign  of    twenty- 

two  years.     Elijah. 

858.    Benhadad     II.     defeated     at 

858. 

Twentieth    year    of    Jehosha* 

Aphek. 

phat'sreigu. 

iTT 


478 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLES. 


Israel. 

Jiidah, 

856. 

Ahab  and  Jehosbapliat  against 

856.    Twenty-second    year    of    Je- 

Benliadadll.  Death  of  Ahab. 

hoshaphat's  reign. 

First  year  of  Ahaziah. 

856-855.    Ahaziah  (2  years). 

855-844.     Joram  (12  years). 

855.     Twenty-third  year  of  Jehosha- 

phat. 

853.     Twenty-fifth  year  of  Jehosha- 

phat. 

852-845.     Jehoram(8years).  Elisha. 

845. 

Eleventh  year  of  Joram. 

845.     Death   of  Jehoram.     Ahaziah 
ascended  the  throne. 

844. 

Twelfth  year  of  Joram's  reign. 

844.     Ahaziah  (1  year). 

843-816.    Jehu  (28  years). 

843-838.    Athaliah  (6  years) 

842. 

Jehu's  tribute  to  Shalmaneser 
II.  in  18th  year  of  that  king's 
reign,    who    this    year   also 
made  war  against  Hazael  of 
Damascus. 

839. 

Second  war   of    Shalmaneser 
against  Hazael. 

837. 

Seventh  year  of  Jehu. 

837-798.     Jehoash  (40  years). 

815- 

799.     Jehoahaz  (17  years). 

815.    Twenty-third  year  of  Jehoasb. 

803. 

Ramunirari's  expedition  in  his 
8th  year,  to  the  sea-coast. 

798- 

783.     Jehoash  (16  years). 

798.     Fortieth  year  of  Joash. 

797. 

Second  year  of  Jehoash. 

797-769.    Amaziah  (29  years). 

784. 

War  with  Amaziah  in  the  15th 
year  of  Jehoash. 

784.     Fourteenth  year  of  Amaziah. 

783- 

743.     Jeroboam  II.  (41  years). 

783.     Fifteenth  year  of  Amaziah. 

775. 

Shalmaneser  III.   in   his  7th 
year    marched  to    Lebanon 
(the  land  of  cedars). 

780-739.     Uzziah  (42  years).* 

7G9. 

Fifteenth    year    of    Jeroboam 

780-769.     Uzziah  the  real  king,  along 

II.' s  reign. 

with  Amaziah  (12  years). 
768-751.     Uzziah  reigns    alone    (18 
years). 

745. 

Accession  of  Tiglath-Pileserll. 

750-739.     The  co-regency  of  Jotham 

(Pul  of  Scripture). 

(12  years). 

743. 

Zachariah.     Shallum. 

743.     Thirty-eighth  year  of  Uzziah's 
reign. 

♦742-738.    Menahem  (6  years.) 

742-40.     Uzziah    is    mentioned    in 

Tiglath-Pileser  II.'s  inscrip. 

tion. 

CHRONOLOaiCAL   TABLES. 


479 


Lrael. 

Judah. 

738. 

Meuahem  pays  tribute  to  Tig- 

750-735.    Jotham  (16  years). 

latb-Pileser  II.  in  the  8tb 

year  of  tbat  king. 

738-737.    Pekabiah. 

738- 

735.     Jotbam    reigned  alone  (4 

*736 

-731.     Pekab  (G  years). 

years). 

736. 

Pekab's  alliance  with  Rezin. 

735. 

Beginning  of  the  war  of  tbe 
allied     Syrians    and    Israel 
against  Judab. 

735- 

715.    Abaz  (21  years).* 

734. 

Tiglatb-Pileser  II.'s  march  to 

734. 

First  year  of  the  reign  of  Abaz 

Palestine  in  his  12bh  year, 

(post-dated). 

against  Pekab. 

733- 

732.    Tiglatb-Pileser II. marches 
to  Damascus  in  bis  13tb  and 
14tb    years    against    Rezin. 
Tbe  taking  of  Damascus. 

732. 

Abaz  in  Damascus. 

730- 

722.     Hosea  (9  years) . 

730. 

The  4th  year  of  Ahaa. 

728. 

His  tribute  to  Tiglatb-Pileser 
II.    After  727  this  tribute 
was  paid  to  Sbalmaneser  IV., 
who  tbat  year  ascended  the 
throne. 

724. 

Beginning     of    tbe     siege    of 
Samaria. 

722. 

Accession  of  Sargon.     Taking 
of  Samaria. 

722. 

Twelfth  year  of  reign  of  Abaz. 

Note.— The  asterisk  at  some  names  indicates  a  proposed  alteration  in  tbe 
common  Biblical  reckoning,  to  harmonize  it  with  the  undisputed  dates 
before  and  after. 


B.C. 

722. 

721. 
715. 
714. 
711. 
705. 
701. 


643. 


Sargon  ascended  tbe  throne;  fall  of  Samaria  8  years  before  the  death 

of  Abaz. 
First  year  of  Sargon. 

Death  of  Abaz.     Hezekiah  ascends  the  throne. 
First  year  of  Hezekiab. 

Fourth  year  of  Hezekiab.     Sargon's  Tartan  besieges  Ashdod. 
Deatb  of  Sargon ;  Sennacherib  ascends  tbe  throne 
Fourteenth  year  of  Hezekiab  ;  Sennacherib's  expedition  against  Judah. 
Twenty-ninth  year  of   Hezekiab ;    his   death  ;   Manasseh  ascends  the 

throne. 
Assassination  of  Sennacherib;  Esarbaddon  ascended  the  throne. 
Death  of  Manasseh  ;  Amon  ascends  th    throne. 


480  CHEONOLOGICAL  TABLES. 

B.C. 

641.    Deatli  of  Amon;  Josiah  begins  to  reign. 

640.     First  year  of  Josiali. 

628.     Thirteenth  year  of  Josiah.     Jeremiah  enters  on  Lis  oflfice. 

623.     Eighteenth  year  of  Josiah.     Discovery  of  the  "  Book   of  the  Law." 

Beginning  of  Josiah's  reformation. 
610.     Thirty-first  year  of  Josiah  j   battle   of   Megiddo  j    death  of    Josiah. 

Jehoahaz  begins  to  reign. 
609.     First  year  of  JehoiaWm. 

606.     Fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim  ;  battle  of  Carchemish ;  first  year  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar,   according    to    Jewish  chronology;    twentieth    year  of 

Nabopolassar. 
605.     Fifth  year  of  Jehoiakim ;   death   of  Nabopolassar ;   Nebuchadnezzar 

ascends  the  throne  (according  to  Jer.  lii.  28-30). 
604.     Sixth  year  of  Jehoiakim ;  first  year  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  according  to 

official  Chaldean  reckoning,  after  the  Canon  of  Ptolemy. 
599.     Eleventh  year  of  Jehoiakim;  his  death;  Jehoiachin  led  away  captive 

with  the  flower  of  Judah  (in  the  eighth,  seventh,  or  sixth  year  of 

Nebuchadnezzar.) 
598.     First  year  of  Zedekiah,  and  of  the  Exile. 
595.     Zedekiah' s  journey  to  Babylon  (Jer.  li.  59) 
594.     Fifth  year  of  the  Exile:  Ezekiel  enters  on  his  office. 
589.     (In  January)  beginning  of  the  siege  of  Jerusalem.    (In  the  10th  month.) 
588.     Eleventh  year  of  Zedekiah,  and  of  the  Exile  (nineteenth,  eighteenth,  or 

seventeenth  year  of    Nebuchadnezzar) ;   destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

(In  the  5th  month.) 
572.     Twenty-seventh   year  of  the  Exile ;   last  date   of  the  prophecies  of 

Ezekiel  (Ezekiel  xxix.  17). 
562.     Thirty- seventh  year  of  the  Exile  (forty-fifth  or  forty-third   year  of 

Nebuchadnezzar);  death  of  Nebuchadnezzar ;  Evil-Merodach  ascends 

the  throne. 
561.     (Beginning  of  April.)     (25th  or  27th  of  the  month  Adar :)  pardon  of 

Jehoiakim;  first  year  of  Evil-Merodach  began  some  days  later. 
560.     Second  year  of  Evil-Merodach  ;  his  death.     Pisistratus  in  Athens. 
559-555.     Nergal  Sharezer. 

558.     Cyrus  conquers  Media.     Croesus  reigns  in  Lydia. 
555.     Laborosoarchod. 
555-538.     Nabonidus. 
545.     Cr03sus  overthrown  by  Cyrus. 

538.     Cyrus  occupies  Babylon.     Return  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon, 
537.     Kebuilding  of  the  Temple  commenced. 
531.     First  year  of  Cambyses. 
52G.     Beginning  of  the  Persian  dynasty  in  Egypt. 
522.     First  year  of  Darius,  son  of  Hystaspis. 
521.    Temple  finished,  overthrow  of  the  Kings  at  Rome. 
478.     Eclipse  of  the  Sun  (Eclipse  of  Xerxes).    Esthee  lives  at  Shnshaa. 
473.    Eclipse  of  the  Sun  (Battle  of  Platjea). 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLES.  481 

B.0, 

466.  First  year  of  Artaxerxes  the  Long-handed. 

460.  Ezra  made  governor  of  Judah. 

457.  Nehemiah  made  Pasha  of  Judah.    Malachi. 

336.  Alexander  the  Great  visits  Jerusalem. 

331.  Battle  of  Arhela. 

324.  Alexander  the  Great  dies. 

305.  Ptolemy,  son  of  Lagos,  takes  Jerusalem  on  the  Sabbath. 

170.  Antiochus  Epiphanes  takes  Jerusalem  and  desecrates  it. 

143.  Simon  Maccabeus  becomes  Ethnarch  of  the  Jews  after  the  victory  won 

by  his  sons. 

114.  Hyrcanus  I.  reigns. 

63.  Pompey  takes  Jerusalem. 

44.  Julius  Caesar  murdered. 

40.  Herod  made  King  by  the  Roman  Senats, 

4.  Herod  the  Great  died. 


INDEX. 


Aaron,  102, 106-110. 

Abner,  245. 

Abraham,  the  true  conception  of 
God  derived  from,  12 ;  legend  of 
childhood  of,  13  ;  moves  to  Haran, 
14 ;  legend  of  persecution  of  by 
Nimrod,  16  J  migration  of  to  Canaan, 
16 ;  religious  belief  of,  17 ;  obe- 
dience  of,  19  ;  as  a  warrior,  21  j 
trial  of  Abraham,  26. 

Absalom,  237-243,  249,  252-259. 

Ahab,  286,  287,  307-314,  325. 

Ahab's  sons  killed,  356. 

Ahaz,  378. 

Ahaziah,  288. 

Ahithophel,  252-259. 

Ammon,  242. 

Amon,  288. 

Amorites,  the,  111 ;  towns  of,  129. 

Amos,  371. 

Arab  invasions  of  Palestine,  151. 

Arabs,  characteristics  of,  39. 

Ark,  form  and  size  of  the,  5. 

Artaxerxes,  471. 

Asa,  284.  _ 

Assurbanipal,  389. 

Assyrian  records,  344,  359,  369,  382. 

Athaliah,  295-304. 

Baal    worship,  154,  160;  destroyed 

by  Jehu,  357- 
Baasha,  305. 
Babylon,  439. 

Babylonian  civilization,  early,  3. 
Balaam,  111,  113-118. 
Balak  of  Moab,  115. 
Barak,  144. 
Bastinado,  the,  96. 
Belshazzar,  453. 
Bethlehem,  215. 
Birthright,  importance  of,  42. 
Blood,  Hebrew  ideas  connected  with, 

9. 
Boaz,  181. 

Calf-worsLip,  306. 


Carlyle  on  David,  238. 

Cambyses,  456. 

Canaanite,  the  meaning  of  the  name, 

111. 
Chaldean  astronomy,  early,  13. 
Chronology,  Scripture,  12. 
Civilization,  stages  of,  2. 
Clans,  Hebrew,  106. 
Cyrus,  456. 

Damascus,  19. 

Daniel,  448-455. 

Darius  Hystaspis,  457. 

David,  212-259;  his  character,  212; 
appearance,  216  ;  marriage  to  Mi- 
chal,  228;  his  Psalms,  233-236; 
his  fall  and  repentance,  238. 

Deborah,  141 ;  ode  of,  147. 

Delilah,  174. 

Edessa,  16. 

Edoniites,  character  of  the,  59. 

Egypt,    civilization    in    ancient,   2 ; 

early  civilization  of,  20  ;  Jews  in,  86. 
Egyptian  civilization,  early,  73. 
Egyptians,  religion  of  the,  80;  ancient, 

to  what  race  they  belonged,  80. 
Eli,  185-192. 
Elijah,  318,  323-330,  334. 
Elisha,  331-340. 

Enemy,  a  stranger  anciently  an,  56. 
Esau,  29,  41,  55-60. 
Esther,  456-466. 

Exodus,  the,  99  ;  the  route  of,  121. 
Ezekiel,  437-447. 

Fellahs,  oppression  of,  95. 

Flood,  arts,  etc.,  of  the  world  before 
the,  2  ;  extent  of  the,  6  ;  Macaulay 
on  the,  7  ;  Ass}  rian  legends  of  the, 
10. 

Gibeon,  150-158.. 

Gilead,  112. 

Golden  calf,  thr,  108,  128. 


482 


INDEX. 


488 


Goliath,  221-227. 

Greek  mercenaries  in  Egypt,  105. 

Hagar,  24,  33. 

Haman,  462. 

Hannah,  194. 

Hebrews,  oppression  of,  in  Egypt,  95. 

HieropoHs,  93. 

Heth,  children  of,  61. 

Hezekiah,  378-384. 

Hittites,  61,  S3. 

Hophni  and  Phinebas,  189. 

Hilkiah,  393. 

Hosea,  371. 

Idolatry,  early  Chaldean,  14, 

Isaac,  23-31,  and  Kebekab,  characters 

of,  41. 
Isaiah,  376-386. 
Ishmael,  24,  32-39. 
Israel,   heroic  age  of,   168:  religion 

in,  371,  406. 
Izdhubar,  adventures  of,  3. 

Jabin  of  Hazor,  137. 

Jacob,  40-46  ;  blessing  of,  the,  66. 

Jael,  134-140. 

Jair,  159. 

Jehoahaz,  398,  430. 

Jehoash,  299. 

Jehoiakim,  397-405,  430,  431,  438. 

Jehoiachin,  437,  469. 

Jehoiada,  300. 

Jehoshaphat,  234-294. 

Jehu,  321,  350-359. 

Jephtbah,  159-166. 

Jeremiah,  388,  391,  396,  401,  427- 
436. 

Jericho,  fall  of,  131. 

Jeroboam,  277,  366-375. 

Jeroboam  II.,  369-375. 

Jethro,  97. 

Jezebel,  299,  309,  315-322,  356. 

Joab,  244r-251. 

Job,  56,  406-415;  friends  of,  416- 
426. 

Jonah,  360-365. 

Joram  of  Samaria,  289,  337,  355. 

Joseph,  62,  65,  68-77. 

Joshua,  126-133. 

Josiah,  387-396,  428. 

Judah,  the  name,  61 ;  patriarch,  the, 
62-67 ;  deportation  from,  to  As- 
syria, 381 ;  religion  in,  400,  448. 

Kenites,  the,  134. 


Keturah,  27. 
Kishon,  the,  144. 

Laban,  44. 

Law,  book  of,  found,  394. 
Leah,  49-54, 
Libraries,  ancient,  3,  4. 

Magi,  the,  451. 

Mahmoudieh  Canal,  the,  87. 

Manasseh,  384,  387. 

Menephtah,  103. 

Merodach  Baladan,  383. 

Mesha,  of  Moab,  288. 

Miriam,  89,  119-125. 

Moab,  opposition  of  to  Moses,  112. 

Mordecai,  461. 

Moses,  birth  of,  87;  saved,  88 ;  name, 
89  ;  youth  of,  90,  92  ;  flight  of,  97, 
105;  in  Midian,  98,  105  ;  character 
of,  99,  100;  marriage  of  to  a 
Cushite  woman,  122. 

Murder,  primeval  punishment  of,  9. 

Naaraan,  341-349. 

Nadab,  305. 

Nazarites,  the,  169,  193. 

Nebuchadnezzar,  404,  430,  431,  433. 

449,468. 
Negeb,  the,  36 ;  ancient  fertility  of, 

Uo. 
Nehemiah,  467-476. 
Nineveh,  destruction  of  foretold,  363, 

402. 
Noah,  date  of  life  of,  1. 

Obadiah,  325. 
Omri,  306. 
On,  93. 

Padan  Aram,  47. 
Palestine,  size  of,  150. 
Passover  of  Josiah,  394. 
Pharaoh,  the,  of  Joseph,  78. 
Pharaoh  Necho,  395,  397,  467. 
Pharaoh's  daughter,  89,  90,  92. 
Phenicians,  the,  308,  370. 
Philistines,  the,  167,  221. 
Polygamy,  evils  of,  51,  241. 
Priesthood,  Jewish,  109. 
Proverbs,  various,  86. 
Psammetichus,  391. 

Ramesea  II.,  gigantic  statue  of,  18 ; 
the  oppressor  of  the  Jews,  81,  83, 
87,  102,  103. 


484 


INDEX. 


Racliel,  44,  46-54. 

Rebekah,  27. 

Rehoboam,  276-283. 

Return,  tbe,  from  Babylon,  470. 

Ruth,  176-184. 

Samson,  167-175. 

Samuel,  188,  193-202,  215. 

Sarah,  14,  22,  23,  24,  27,  28. 

Saul,  201,  203,  211, 218. 

Scythian  invasion,  389. 

Sennacherib,  379. 

Sesostris,  reign  of,  78. 

Sheba,  the  Queen  of,  268. 

Shiloh,  187. 

Shishak,  283. 

Shur,  meaning  of  the  word,  84. 

Shushan,  459. 

Sihon,  the  Amorite,  111. 

Sinai,  98. 

Sirius,  the  Dog  star,  95. 


Sisera,  138 ;  defeat  of,  145. 

Solomon,  260-267;  wisdom  of,  270, 
271 ;  buildings  of,  272  ;  commerce 
of,  273  ;  heathenism  of,  277. 

"  Store  cities,"  103. 

Ulysses,  56. 
TJr,  now  Mugheir,  14. 
Uz,  land  of,  406. 
Uzziah,  376,  377. 

Weaning  of  Hebrew  children,  89. 

Well-digging,  29. 

World,  ancient  Hebrew  idea  of  tbe 

6. 
Xerxes,  458. 

Zedekiah,  433,  469. 
Zephaniah,  388,  3^. 
Zoan,  82. 


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